Synthesis and reactivity of 5,10,15-triaryl doubly N-confused bilanes

A series of 5,10,15-tris(pentafluorophenyl) doubly N-confused bilanes were synthesized in a stepwise manner with the aid of sterically demanding N-protecting groups, in which the difference in reactivity between regular pyrrole and N-confused pyrrole plays a crucial role in the synthetic strategy. Some doubly N-confused bilanes were converted into porphyrinoids or a unique 2:2 copper(II) complex with a helical structure. In addition, the conformations and electronic states of the doubly N-confused bilanes were investigated theoretically, giving fruitful information about the effect of confusion on the bilane skeleton.