Phthalocyanines and related compounds: XLII. Synthesis of phenyl-substituted tetraazachlorins and tetraazabacteriochlorins

New oxidation-resistant hexaphenyl-substituted tetramethyltetraazachlorin, its nickel complex, and tetraphenyl-substituted octamethyltetraazabacteriochlorin and octamethyltetraazaisobacteriochlorin nickel complexes were synthesized for the first time by mixed condensation of diphenylm aleonitrile with tetramethylsuccinonitrile in the presence of lithium dimethylaminoethoxide or nickel chloride. The products were characterized by electronic absorption, ¹H NMR, and mass spectra. Mixed condensation of diphenylsuccinonitrile with phthalonitrile in the presence of nickel chloride was found to give nickel complexes of phenylsubstituted benzo-fused tetraazaporphyrins rather than their hydrogenated derivatives.