Studies on the mechanochemically induced chromene-annulation of meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)-2,3-dihydroxychlorin: Non-innocence of the grinding aids

Abstract

The modification of chlorins to fine-tune their optical properties is important for their application in medical and technical fields. The solution phase, base-induced formation of a chromene-annulated chlorin from the corresponding meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)-2,3-dihydroxychlorin by intramolecular S[Formula: see text]Ar displacement of an [Formula: see text]-F atom of a meso-aryl group by an adjacent hydroxy group is well-known. Organic transformations performed by grinding the dry reagents together promise to be a much greener and possibly simpler method compared to traditional solution-based reactions. However, the use of such mechanochemical approaches to accomplish porphyrinoid chromophore modifications are virtually unexplored. We report here the translation of the solution-based base-induced formation of a chromene-annulated chlorin to a solid state mechanochemical reaction in a planetary powder mill. The factors determining the success (and failure) of the reaction are delineated. While this report shows that porphyrinoid framework modifications can principally be induced mechanochemically, the mechanochemical reaction is not (yet) competitive with the solution state reaction. The outcome of the reaction is very sensitive to the particular milling conditions, specifically-and importantly as it is unexpected – the grinding aids used. What we previously believed to be inert or merely basic aids affected a significant degradation of the chlorins under the milling conditions, a finding that might generally limit mechanochemical approaches in porphyrinoid chemistry, or at least require careful adjustments.