Rational synthesis of beta-substituted chlorin building blocks

Chlorins bearing synthetic handles at specific sites about the perimeter of the macrocycle constitute valuable building blocks. We previously developed methodology for preparing meso-substituted chlorin building blocks and now present methodology for preparing several complementary beta-substituted chlorin building blocks. The chlorins bear one or two beta substituents, one meso substituent, a geminal dimethyl group to lock in the chlorin hydrogenation level, and no flanking meso and beta substituents. The synthesis involves convergent joining of an Eastern half and a Western half. New routes have been developed to two beta-substituted bromo-dipyrromethane monocarbinols (Eastern halves). A new beta-substituted Western half was prepared following the method for preparing an unsubstituted Western half (3,3-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrodipyrrin). Chlorin formation is achieved by a two-flask process of acid-catalyzed condensation followed by metal-mediated oxidative cyclization. beta-Substituted chlorins have been prepared in 18-24% yield bearing a 4-iodophenyl group at the 8-position, a 4-iodophenyl group or a 4-[2-(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]phenyl group at the 12-position, and a 4-iodophenyl group and a 4-[2-(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]phenyl group at diametrically opposed beta-positions (2, 12). The latter building block makes possible the stepwise construction of linear multi-chlorin architectures. The chlorins exhibit typical absorption and fluorescence spectra. A systematic shift in the absorption maximum (637-655 nm for the free base chlorins, 606-628 nm for the zinc chlorins) and intensity of the chlorin Q(y)() band (epsilon up to 79 000 M(-)(1) cm(-)(1)) is observed depending on the location of the substituents. The characteristic spectral features and location of substituents in defined positions make these chlorins well suited for a variety of applications in biomimetic and materials chemistry.     

Design, synthesis, and photophysical characterization of water-soluble chlorins

The use of chlorins as photosensitizers or fluorophores in a range of biological applications requires facile provisions for imparting high water solubility. Two free base chlorins have been prepared wherein each chlorin bears a geminal dimethyl group in the reduced ring and a water-solubilizing unit at the chlorin 10-position. In one design (FbC1-PO3H2), the water-solubilizing unit is a 1,5-diphosphonopent-3-yl ("swallowtail") unit, which has previously been used to good effect with porphyrins. In the other design (FbC2-PO3H2), the water-solubilizing unit is a 2,6-bis(phosphonomethoxy)phenyl unit. Two complementary routes were developed for preparing FbC2-PO3H2 that entail introduction of the protected phosphonate moieties either in the Eastern-half precursor to the chlorin or by derivatization of an intact chlorin. Water-solubilization is achieved in the last step of each synthesis upon removal of the phosphonate protecting groups. The chlorins FbC1-PO3H2 and FbC2-PO3H2 are highly water-soluble (>10 mM) as shown by 1H NMR spectroscopy (D2O) and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. The photophysical properties of the water-soluble chlorins in phosphate-buffered saline solution (pH 7.4) at room temperature were investigated using static and time-resolved absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques. Each chlorin exhibits dominant absorption bands in the blue and the red region (lambda = 398, 626 nm), a modest fluorescence yield (Phi f approximately 0.11), a long singlet excited-state lifetime (tau = 7.5 ns), and a high yield of intersystem crossing to give the triplet state (Phi isc = 0.9). The properties of the water-soluble chlorins in aqueous media are comparable to those of hydrophobic chlorins in toluene. The high aqueous solubility combined with the attractive photophysical properties make these compounds suitable for a wide range of biomedical applications.     

Sugar-dependent aggregation of glycoconjugated chlorins and its effect on photocytotoxicity in HeLa cells

In order to explore the influence of the sugar moieties of glycoconjugated chlorins on the photocytotoxicity, we studied the photochemical properties of four glycoconjugated chlorins in aqueous media such as cytoplasm and the concentration dependence of photocytotoxicity in HeLa cells. In phosphate-buffered saline, the fluorescence intensities of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[3-(beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy)phenyl]chlorin (m-1a) and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[3-(beta-D-galactopyranosyloxy)phenyl]chlorin (m-1b), i.e., chlorins having hexose groups, were about 2-fold greater than those of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[3-(beta-d-xylopyranosyloxy)phenyl]chlorin (m-1c) and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[3-(beta-d-arabinopyranosyloxy)phenyl]chlorin (m-1d), i.e., chlorins having pentose groups, owing to a sugar-dependent difference of aggregation behavior. While no cytotoxicity was found in the dark, the highest photocytotoxicity was shown by m-1a (82% inhibition) in HeLa cells. This was higher than those of m-1b, m-1c, m-1d and tetraphenylporphyrin tetrasulfonic acid. The glycoconjugated chlorins except for m-1b appeared to be distributed diffusely throughout the cytoplasm. Among the four photosensitizers, m-1a showed the highest intensity in confocal fluorescence images, in agreement with the in vitro photocytotoxicity results. For m-1c, no photocytotoxicity was found at drug concentrations from 0.2 to 0.04 microM. Hence, sugar-dependent aggregation is not the major reason for the unexpected lack of efficacy of m-1c, which is uptaken efficiently by HeLa cells. For the glycoconjugated chlorins, these results suggest the biological aspects of sugar moiety play much crucial role rather than chemical aspects.     

Effects of substituents on synthetic analogs of chlorophylls. Part 1: Synthesis, vibrational properties and excited-state decay characteristics

Understanding the effects of substituents on the spectra of chlorins is essential for a wide variety of applications. Recent developments in synthetic methodology have made possible systematic studies of the properties of the chlorin macrocycle as a function of diverse types and patterns of substituents. In this paper, the spectral, vibrational and excited-state decay characteristics are examined for a set of synthetic chlorins. The chlorins bear substituents at the 5,10,15 (meso) positions or the 3,13 (beta) positions (plus 10-mesityl in a series of compounds) and include 24 zinc chlorins, 18 free base (Fb) analogs and one Fb or zinc oxophorbine. The oxophorbine contains the keto-bearing isocyclic ring present in the natural photosynthetic pigments (e.g. chlorophyll a). The substituents cause no significant perturbation to the structure of the chlorin macrocycle, as evidenced by the vibrational properties investigated using resonance Raman spectroscopy. In contrast, the fluorescence properties are significantly altered due to the electronic effects of substituents. For example, the fluorescence wavelength maximum, quantum yield and lifetime for a zinc chlorin bearing 3,13-diacetyl and 10-mesityl groups (662 nm, 0.28, 6.0 ns) differ substantially from those of the parent unsubstituted chlorin (602 nm, 0.062, 1.7 ns). Each of these properties of the lowest singlet excited state can be progressively stepped between these two extremes by incorporating different substituents. These perturbations are associated with significant changes in the rate constants of the decay pathways of the lowest excited singlet state. In this regard, the zinc chlorins with the red-most fluorescence also have the greatest radiative decay rate constant and are expected to have the fastest nonradiative internal conversion to the ground state. Nonetheless, these complexes have the longest singlet excited-state lifetime. The Fb chlorins bearing the same substituents exhibit similar fluorescence properties. Such combinations of factors render the chlorins suitable for a range of applications that require tunable coverage of the solar spectrum, long-lived excited states and red-region fluorescence.     

Sparsely substituted chlorins as core constructs in chlorophyll analogue chemistry. II. Derivatization

Stable chlorins bearing few or no substituents have been subjected to a variety of reactions including demetalation, magnesium insertion, oxochlorin formation, and bromination followed by Suzuki coupling. The kinetics of deuteration also have been determined for two oxochlorins and a series of chlorins bearing 0, 1, 2, or 3 meso-aryl substituents.     

Structure-property relationships for self-assembled zinc chlorin light-harvesting dye aggregates

A series of zinc 3(1)-hydroxymethyl chlorins 10 a-e and zinc 3(1)-hydroxyethyl chlorins 17 with varied structural features were synthesized by modifying naturally occurring chlorophyll a. Solvent-, temperature-, and concentration-dependent UV/Vis and CD spectroscopic methods as well as microscopic investigations were performed to explore the importance of particular functional groups and steric effects on the self-assembly behavior of these zinc chlorins. Semisynthetic zinc chlorins 10 a-e possess the three functional units relevant for self-assembly found in their natural bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) counterparts, namely, the 3(1)-OH group, a central metal ion, and the 13(1) C==O moiety along the Q(y) axis, and they contain various 17(2)-substituents. Depending on whether the zinc chlorins have 17(2)-hydrophobic or hydrophilic side chains, they self-assemble in nonpolar organic solvents or in aqueous media, respectively. Zinc chlorins possessing at least two long side chains provide soluble self-aggregates that are stable in solution for a prolonged time, thus facilitating elucidation of their properties by optical spectroscopy. The morphology of the zinc chlorin aggregates was elucidated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies, revealing well-defined nanoscale rod structures for zinc chlorin 10 b with a height of about 6 nm. It is worth noting that this size is in good accordance with a tubular arrangement of the dyes similar to that observed in their natural BChl counterparts in the light-harvesting chlorosomes of green bacteria. Furthermore, for the epimeric 3(1)-hydroxyethyl zinc chlorins 17 with hydrophobic side chains, the influence of the chirality center at the 3(1)-position on the aggregation behavior was studied in detail by UV/Vis and CD spectroscopy. Unlike zinc chlorins 10, the 3(1)-hydroxyethyl zinc chlorins 17 formed only small oligomers and not higher rod aggregate structures, which can be attributed to the steric effect imposed by the additional methyl group at the 3(1)-position.     

Rational synthesis of meso-substituted chlorin building blocks

Chlorins provide the basis for plant photosynthesis, but synthetic model systems have generally employed porphyrins as surrogates due to the unavailability of suitable chlorin building blocks. We have adapted a route pioneered by Battersby to gain access to chlorins that bear two meso substituents, a geminal dimethyl group to lock in the chlorin hydrogenation level, and no flanking meso and beta substituents. The synthesis involves convergent joining of an Eastern half and a Western half. A 3,3-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrodipyrrin (Western half) was synthesized in four steps from pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde. A bromodipyrromethane carbinol (Eastern half) was prepared by sequential acylation and bromination of a 5-substituted dipyrromethane followed by reduction. Chlorin formation is achieved by a two-flask process of acid-catalyzed condensation followed by metal-mediated oxidative cyclization. The latter reaction has heretofore been performed with copper templates. Investigation of conditions for this multistep process led to copper-free conditions (zinc acetate, AgIO(3), and piperidine in toluene at 80 degrees C for 2 h). The zinc chlorin was obtained in yields of approximately 10% and could be easily demetalated to give the corresponding free base chlorin. The synthetic process is compatible with a range of meso substituents (p-tolyl, mesityl, pentafluorophenyl, 4-[2-(trimethylsilyl)ethynyl]phenyl, 4-iodophenyl). Altogether four free base and four zinc chlorins have been prepared. The chlorins exhibit typical absorption spectra, fluorescence spectra, and fluorescence quantum yields. The ease of synthetic access, presence of appropriate substituents, and characteristic spectral features make these types of chlorins well suited for incorporation in synthetic model systems.     

Synthetic chlorins bearing auxochromes at the 3- and 13-positions

Synthetic chlorins bearing diverse auxochromes at the 3- and 13-positions of the macrocycle are valuable targets given their resemblance to chlorophylls a and b, which bear 3-vinyl and 13-keto groups. A de novo route has been exploited to construct nine zinc chlorins bearing substituents at the 3- and 13-positions and two benchmark zinc chlorins lacking such substituents. The chlorins are sterically uncongested and bear (1) a geminal dimethyl group in the reduced pyrroline ring, (2) a H, an acetyl, a triisopropylsilylethynyl (TIPS-ethynyl), or a vinyl at the 3-position, (3) a H, an acetyl, or TIPS-ethynyl at the 13-position, and (4) a H or a mesityl at the 10-position. The synthesis of the 13-substituted chlorins relied on p-TsOH x H2O-catalyzed condensation of an 8,9-dibromo-1-formyldipyrromethane (eastern half) and 2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1,3,3-trimethyldipyrrin (western half), followed by metal-mediated oxidative cyclization, affording the 13-bromochlorin. Similar use of a bromo- or TIPS-ethynyl-substituted western half provided access to 3-substituted chlorins. A 3-bromo, 13-bromo, or 3,13-dibromochlorin was further transformed by Pd-coupling to introduce the vinyl group (via tributylvinyltin), TIPS-ethynyl group (via TIPS-acetylene), or acetyl group (via tributyl(1-ethoxyvinyl)tin, followed by acidic hydrolysis). In the 10-mesityl-substituted zinc chlorins, the series of substituents, 3-vinyl, 13-TIPS-ethynyl, 3-TIPS-ethynyl, 13-acetyl, 3,13-bis(TIPS-ethynyl), 3-TIPS-ethynyl-13-acetyl, or 3,13-diacetyl, progressively causes (1) a redshift in the absorption maximum of the B band (405-436 nm) and the Q(y) band (606-662 nm), (2) a relative increase in the intensity of the Q(y) band (I(B)/I(Q) = 4.2-1.5), and (3) an increase in the fluorescence quantum yield phi(f) (0.059-0.29). The zinc chlorins bearing a 3-TIPS-ethynyl-13-acetyl or a 3,13-diacetyl group exhibit a number of spectral properties resembling those of chlorophyll a or its zinc analogue. Taken together, this study provides access to finely tuned chlorins for spectroscopic studies and diverse applications.     

Effects of Substituents on Synthetic Analogs of Chlorophylls. Part 4: How Formyl Group Location Dictates the Spectral Properties of Chlorophylls b,d and f

Photosynthetic organisms are adapted to light characteristics in their habitat in part via the spectral characteristics of the associated chlorophyll pigments, which differ in the position of a formyl group around the chlorin macrocycle (chlorophylls b, d, f) or no formyl group (chlorophyll a). To probe the origin of this spectral tuning, the photophysical and electronic structural properties of a new set of synthetic chlorins are reported. The zinc and free base chlorins have a formyl group at either the 2‐ or 3‐position. The four compounds have fluorescence yields in the range 0.19–0.28 and singlet excited‐state lifetimes of ca 4 ns for zinc chelates and ca 8 ns for the free base forms. The photophysical properties of the 2‐ and 3‐formyl zinc chlorins are similar to those observed previously for 13‐formyl or 3,13‐diformyl chlorins, but differ markedly from those for 7‐formyl analogs. Molecular‐orbital characteristics obtained from density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used as input to spectral simulations employing the four‐orbital model. The analysis has uncovered the key changes in electronic structure engendered by the presence/location of a formyl group at various macrocycle positions, which is relevant to understanding the distinct spectral properties of the natural chlorophylls a, b, d and f.     

Palladium-catalyzed reactions for the synthesis of chlorins and 5,10-porphodimethenes

The palladium-catalyzed reaction of RLi with various 5,10,15,20-tetrasubstituted porphyrins offers a convenient synthetic route to chlorins and porphodimethenes (calixphyrins). The reactions utilized various Pd catalysts and CuI and yielded either 2,3-substituted chlorins or 5,10-disubstituted porphodimethenes in yields ranging from 20-40%. The reaction of octaethylporphyrin with t-BuLi in the presence of a Pd-catalyst generated the corresponding 5,10-porphodimethene in 72% yield.     

Simple approach to "locked" chlorins

[reaction: see text] A novel synthetic approach to diversely functionalized "locked" chlorins is described. A suitably substituted 2,5-diformylpyrrole undergoes the macrocyclization reaction with tripyrranes, thereby generating porphyrins. Upon the reaction with 1,3-dipoles these porphyrins regioselectively furnish pyrrolidine-fused chlorins, which cannot oxidize to the corresponding porphyrins. In the process involving just six steps from commercially available and cheap materials we are able to obtain approximately 200 mg of pure stable chlorins (the overall yield is 1.5-2.8%).     

Sparsely substituted chlorins as core constructs in chlorophyll analogue chemistry. III. Spectral and structural properties

The availability of stable chlorins bearing few or no substituents has enabled a variety of fundamental studies. The studies described herein report absorption spectra of diverse chlorins, comparative NMR features of chlorins bearing 0-3 meso-aryl substituents, and X-ray structures of the fully unsubstituted chlorin and the oxochlorin.     

Toward a general synthesis of chlorins

Recently, we described a new synthesis of C,D-ring symmetric chlorins 11, involving 2 + 2 condensation of bis-formyl-dihydrodipyrrins 9 with symmetrically substituted dipyrromethane diacids 10 (Method I). However, while versatile in many aspects, Method I was unsuited to the broader goal of synthesizing fully non-symmetric chlorins of general structure 15, which requires regioselective control over the reacting centers in the A,B- and C,D-ring components. In this paper, we describe four new 2 + 2 strategies that accomplish this differentiation (Methods II-V). Of these, Method V, which combines operational simplicity with moderate to high product yields, proved to be the most effective route, exploiting reactivity differences between the two formyl groups of A,B-rings 9 to impart excellent regioselectivity. Methods II-IV are also useful alternatives to Method V, although in some cases, the appropriately functionalized precursors are less readily available. All four approaches generate single regioisomers of diversely substituted chlorins, and in every case, the 2 + 2 condensation is accomplished in a simple, one-flask procedure without need for additives such as oxidizing agents or metals. Taken together, these methodologies provide expanded access to an array of chlorins for SAR studies that may advance the effectiveness of PDT and other applications.     

Cellular uptake and photocytotoxicity of glycoconjugated chlorins in HeLa cells

Eight 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[3- or 4-(beta-D-glycopyranosyloxy)phenyl]chlorins were synthesized by means of the Whitlock method with diimide reduction and purified by reversed-phase thin layer chromatography (RP-TLC). All compounds were characterized by (1)H NMR spectroscopy, electron-spray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF MS), and UV-Vis spectroscopy. ESI-TOF MS could detect the 2H difference in molecular weight between a glycoconjugated chlorin and its corresponding porphyrin (i.e., 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[3- or 4-(beta-D-glycopyranosyloxy)phenyl]porphyrin). The cellular uptake of the eight chlorins was evaluated in HeLa cells. All glycoconjugated chlorins showed higher cellular uptake than tetraphenylporphyrin tetrasulfonic acid (TPPS), and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[3-(beta-D-xylopyranosyloxy)phenyl]chlorin showed 50-fold higher uptake than TPPS. The photocytotoxicity of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[3-(beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy)phenyl]chlorin, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[3-(beta-D-xylopyranosyloxy)phenyl]chlorin and TPPS towards HeLa cells was examined at the concentration of 2x10(-7) M (mol/dm(3)). These photosensitizers had no cytotoxicity in the dark, but their photocytotoxicity decreased in the order of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[3-(beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy)phenyl]chlorin>5,10,15,20-tetrakis[3-(beta-D-xylopyranosyloxy)phenyl]chlorin>TPPS. The results indicate that the photocytotoxicity is not related simply to cellular uptake.     

Porphyrins. 39. Synthesis and Chemical Transformations of Porphyrins and Chlorins with 2-Acetyl-1-methyl-3-oxobutyl Substituents

Porphyrins and chlorins containing acetylacetone residues in the peripheral substituents [-CH(Me)CHAc₂] are converted under alkaline conditions into the corresponding deacetylated compounds with [-CH(Me)CH₂Ac] residues. Reduction of the latter as acids using sodium borohydride gives the corresponding alcohols and, after esterification, their acetates with branched peripheral [-CH(Me)CH₂CH(OAc)Me] substituents. Porphyrins and chlorins with such substituents in water-soluble form may hold interest as new photosensitizers in photodynamic cancer therapy.     

Regioselective reactions of methyl pyropheophorbide a with formaldehyde based on hydroxymethylation

Regioselective reactions of methyl pyropheophorbide a (MPPa) with formaldehyde based on hydroxymethylation have been studied. It was found that MPPa can react regioselectively with formaldehyde under different conditions to produce a series of 3-dioxane, 12-, 13²- or 20-hydroxymethyl and 12-/13²-alkenyl-substituted chlorins via Prins reaction, Blanc chloromethylation and aldol reaction, respectively. The first examples of direct C–C bond formation at 12-position of chlorophyll derivatives were also reported to give a series of 12-vinyl-substituted chlorins. These chlorins showed extend Qy absorptions and efficient singlet oxygen generation property, indicating their potential as photosensitizers for application in photodynamic therapy.     

Two complementary routes to 7-substituted chlorins. Partial mimics of chlorophyll B

Chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b exhibit distinct spectra yet differ only in the nature of a single substituent (7-methyl versus 7-formyl, respectively). Two complementary approaches have been developed for the synthesis of 7-substituted chlorins. The first approach is a de novo route wherein 2,9-dibromo-5-p-tolyldipyrromethane (Eastern half) and 9-formyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1,3,3-trimethyldipyrrin (Western half) undergo acid-catalyzed condensation followed by metal-mediated oxidative cyclization. The resulting zinc chlorin is sterically uncongested and bears (1) a geminal dimethyl group in the reduced, pyrroline ring, (2) a bromo substituent at the 7-position, and (3) a p-tolyl group at the 10-position. The second approach entails regioselective 7-bromination of a 10,15-diarylchlorin that lacks a substituent at the 5-position. In an extension of this latter approach, a 5,15-diarylchlorin that lacks a substituent at the 10-position undergoes regioselective bromination at the 8-position. The introduction of a TIPS-ethynyl, acetyl, or formyl group at the 7-position was achieved using Pd-catalyzed reactions with the corresponding 7-bromochlorin. In the 10-p-tolyl-substituted zinc chlorins, the series of substituents (7-TIPS-ethynyl, 7-acetyl, 7-formyl) progressively causes (1) a bathochromic shift in the absorption maximum of the B band (405 to 426 nm) and (2) a hypsochromic shift in the position of the Qy band (605 to 598 nm). The trends mirror those for chlorophyll b versus chlorophyll a but are of lesser magnitude. Taken together, the facile access to chlorins that bear auxochromes at the 7-position enables wavelength tunability and provides the foundation for fundamental spectroscopic studies.     

Planarity of metal chlorins in n-octane solution

The geometry of porphyrins has been and continues to be a subject of vigorous research. In this work we investigated the planarity of a series of divalent metal chlorins in n-octane solutions: magnesium, zinc, copper, nickel, cobalt, manganese, tin, cadmium, strontium, lead and platinum. Room temperature electronic absorption spectra of these complexes are reported. We plotted the energy of each B band against its respective Qy origin band. Based on these results it was concluded that in these metal chlorins the configuration interaction between Qy and B states is essentially constant; the exception is the magnesium complex which deviates from the pattern produced by the other metal chlorins. This suggests that the magnesium ion is out of the plane of the chlorin skeleton; thus, it has C(S) symmetry while the other metal chlorins in this group retained C2v symmetry.     

PHOTOREDUCTION OF PROTOCHLOROPHYLL AND ITS DERIVATIVES

Abstract —Photoreduction of protochlorophyll and a series of its derivatives (with gradual simplification of the structure) was studied in ascorbic acid-propanol-pyridine mixtures. Additions were introduced into the solutions to suppress some side processes. Conditions were found for the photoreduction of pigment on the 7,8-linkage, with the formation of corresponding chlorins. Chlorin yields depended on the nature of the metal in the centre of the pigment molecule. The yield of chlorophyll upon photoreduction of protochlorophyll was 30 per cent, and the yields of Zn-derivatives of protochphyll was about 35–80 per cent. Photochemically prepared chlorins were isolated by chromatography. Some differences were discovered between their electronic, infrared, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra and those of natural chlorins. These differences result from chlorins with a cis arrangement of hydrogen atoms on the 7,8-linkage being selectively formed upon photoreduction, while natural chlorins have the trans arrangement. The mechanism of the photoreduction reaction is discussed.     

The NMR spectra of porphyrins: 22—Ring current effects in chlorins versus porphyrins

The proton NMR spectra of tetraphenylporphyrin, octaethylporphyrin and the analogous chlorins (7,8-dihydroporphyrins) are presented, and the chemical shift changes on chlorin formation are interpreted using a ring current model. In these compounds a general 10% reduction in the ring current occurs upon chlorin formation. Similar comparison of the chemical shifts of the corresponding dications and also of the protonated form of 2-vinylphylloerythrin methyl ester with the corresponding chlorin, methyl pyropheophorbide-a, shows that chlorin formation now has a much larger effect on the ring current, this reflecting the increased steric effects within the macrocycle which occur upon protonation. Variable temperature studies on the porphyrins and chlorins examined show clearly the effect of NH exchange processes and, in particular, novel intermolecular exchange processes with trifluoroacetic acid in the protonated species are recorded.