posted on 2006-09-01, 00:00authored byJoydev K. Laha, Chinnasamy Muthiah, Masahiko Taniguchi, Jonathan S. Lindsey
A new route to 131-oxophorbines, the parent macrocycle of
chlorophylls, begins with the synthesis of a 13-bromochlorin.
Pd-mediated coupling of the latter with tributyl(1-ethoxyvinyl)tin and subsequent acidic hydrolysis afforded the 13-acetylchlorin (1). Treatment of 1 with NBS afforded the 15-bromo analogue in 70% yield. Pd-mediated α-arylation
closed the isocyclic ring to give the 131-oxophorbine (2) in
85% yield. Facile access to 131-oxophorbines should enable
a variety of spectroscopic studies and diverse applications.