Catalyst-free aromatic nucleophilic substitution of meso-bromoporphyrins with azide anion: efficient synthesis and structural analyses of meso-azidoporphyrins.

meso-Mono- or diazidoporphyrins were readily obtained in high yields by the catalyst-free aromatic nucleophilic reaction of the corresponding bromoporphyrins with azide anions under mild conditions. The molecular structures of the obtained azides were unambiguously determined by X-ray crystallographic analysis.