TAKU NAKANO, TEDDY G. TRAYLOR, and DAVID DOLPHIN. Can. J. Chem. 68, 1504Chem. 68, (1990.During the epoxidation of ethylene using iron meso-tetrakis(2,6-dichloropheny1)porphyrin chloride and iodosopentafluorobenzene several N-alkylporphyrins were formed. The major product was 21-carboxymethyl-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(2,6-dichloropheny1)porphyrin. This was derived, by oxidation, from the corresponding 21-formylmethyl complex which in turn was obtained from the initially formed N-hydroxyethylporphyrin, a compound not isolated due to its ready oxidation.