Chemistry of pyrrolic compounds. XXX. An approach to the synthesis of porphyrin a

Abstract

Synthesis of the porphyrin (1e) has been achieved by the oxidative cyclization of an appropriately substituted 1,19-dideoxy-1,19- dimethylbilene-b. It is hoped to use this tetrapyrrole to complete the synthesis of porphyrin a, the prosthetic group of cytochrome oxidase. New syntheses of Spirographis porphyrin and its isomer are reported. 2,4-Diacetyl- and 4-acetyl-2-methoxycarbonyl-deutero-porphyrin IX dimethyl ester have been prepared through bilene-b intermediates constructed in the ?east-west? rather than the ?north-south? mode.