Water-soluble cobalt complexes have shown great potential in fuel-cell technology, water purification, and on-site nerve-agent deactivation or decomposition because of their ability to reversibly bind oxygen. The addition of halogens to a porphyrin creates an electron-deficient ligand which, in turn, increases the metal ion’s potential to bind with oxygen. Halogenation of both 4-dimethylaminophenylporphyrin and the 4-dimethylamino-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorophenylporphyrin first required insertion of a metal ion ( Cu(II), Co(II)) followed by the methylation of the dimethylamino groups. Additional methyl groups rendered water-solubility while protecting the aminophenyl nitrogen atoms during bromination of the porphyrin. Results indicate that the fluorination of the phenyl groups stabilized the porphyrin during bromination while the non-fluorinated derivative decomposed.

Towards the synthesis of a water-souluble β-brominated cobalt(II) porphyrin

249th National Meeting (2015)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.