The solvent-free, catalyst-free condensation of pyrrole and aldehydes provides an extremely facile synthetic pathway to novel corroles [Eq. (1); Ar=C F , 2,6-F C H , 2,6-Cl C H ]. The product containing pentafluorophenyl groups is an excellent precursor of other derivatives, including an ionic, water-soluble corrole.

The solvent-free condensation of pyrrole and pentafluorobenzaldehyde (and to a lesser extent other electron-poor aldehydes as well) leads to a variety of products, of which three have been isolated and fully characterized. The two main products (11% each) are an open-chain pentapyrrole and corrole, a tetrapyrrolic macrocycle.

No abstract