Proton magnetic resonance studies of porphyrin iron (3) cyanides.

The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra at 220 Mc of cyanodeuteroporphyrin IX dimethyl ester iron (III), cyanoprotoporphyrin IX diethyl ester iron (III), and cyanoprotoporphyrin IX iron (III) in a mixed solvent of 80 per cent d(5)-pyridine and 20 per cent D(2)O have been measured. The resonances are assigned and, except for the ester alkoxy groups, are shown to be shifted by temperature-dependent hyperfine interactions with Fe (III). From the experiments, upper limits are placed upon the pseudocontact contributions, and values of the contact interactions are derived. Spin densities in carbon pi-orbitals are calculated from the contact shifts and discussed in terms of preliminary Hückel calculations.