Peripherally Hexasulfanylated Subporphyrins

Peripherally hexachlorinated meso‐triphenyl subporphyrin 4 was prepared by chlorination of meso‐triphenyl subporphyrin 1 with N‐chlorosuccinimide and was effectively transformed to hexasulfanylated subporphyrins 5 – 8 via nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S_NAr) reactions with the corresponding thiols under basic conditions. The structures of 5 – 8 have been all well characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. ¹H NMR studies indicated that the meso‐phenyl substituents undergo restricted rotation for 5 – 8 , while the β‐sulfanyl substituents are conformationally flexible in 5 , 6 , and 8 , and are strictly regulated to an anti‐conformation in 7 . Judging from the absorption spectra, the oxidation and reduction potentials, and the DFT calculations, the substituent effects decrease in the order of 5 > 6 > 7 > 8 . Subporphyrin 8 effectively captures C₆₀ in a 1:1 manner in [D₈]toluene solution.     

Protonenresonanzuntersuchungen an Aminoboranen—II: Einflüsse von para-Phenylsubstituenten auf die Rotationsbarriere um die N?B-Bindung

The electronic influence of substituents on the free enthalpy of rotation around the N? B bond in aminoboranes was investigated in two series of compounds: (a) (CH₃)₂N?BCl (phenyl-p-X), containing the para-phenyl substituent at the boron atom, and (b) (p-X-phenyl)CH₃N?B(CH₃)₂, containing the para-phenyl substituent at the nitrogen atom of the N? B linkage (X = ? NR₂, ? OCH₃, ? C(CH₃)₃, ? Si(CH₃)₃, ? H, ? F, ? Cl, ? Br, ? I, ? CF₃ and ? NO₂). By comparing the rotational barriers in corresponding compounds of both series, a reverse effect of the substituents could be observed. Electron-withdrawing substituents in the para position of the phenyl ring increase the ΔG_c^≠ if the phenyl group is attached to the boron atom; on the other hand, a lower ΔG_c^≠ is observed if the phenyl ring is bonded to the nitrogen atom of the N? B system. Substitution of the phenyl ring with electron-donating substituents in the paraposition exerts the opposite effect. Within each series of compounds, the differences of ΔG_c^≠ values [δ(ΔG_c^≠) = ΔG_c^≠ (X) ? ΔG_c^≠ (X = H)] between substituted and unsubstituted compounds can be explained in terms of inductive and mesomeric effects of the ring substituents and can be correlated with the Hammett σ constant of each substituent. A comparison of the slopes of the plotted lines shows that the influence of the ring substituents is more pronounced in compounds with N-phenyl-p-X than in those with B-phenyl-p-X.     

β,β‐Diborylated Subporphyrinato Boron(III) Complexes as Useful Synthetic Precursors

Iridium‐catalyzed borylation of B‐aryl meso‐free subporphyrinato boron(III) complexes (hereinafter referred to simply as subporphyrins) with bis(pinacolato)diboron gave 2,13‐diborylated subporphyrins regioselectively, which served as promising synthetic precursors for 2,13‐diarylated subporphyrins and doubly β‐to‐β 1,3‐butadiyne‐bridged subporphyrin dimers. 2,13‐Diarylated subporphyrins display perturbed absorption spectra, depending upon the β‐aryl substituents. Doubly 1,3‐butadiyne‐bridged syn and anti subporphyrin dimers thus prepared exhibit differently altered absorption spectra with split Soret‐like bands, which have been accounted for in terms of exciton coupling.     

Direct Amination of meso‐Tetraarylporphyrin Derivatives – Easy Route to A3B‐, A2BC‐, and A2B2‐Type Porphyrins Bearing Two Nitrogen‐Containing Substituents at the meso‐Positioned Phenyl Groups

meso‐Tetraarylporphyrinato complexes 1a – g (Zn^II, Cu^II, and Ni^II) bearing one or two nitro‐substituted aryl moieties react with 1,1,1‐trimethylhydrazinium iodide in the presence of ^tBuOK in THF at 0–5° or in the presence of KOH in DMSO at 60–70° according to a nucleophilic substitution of an H‐atom, thus affording porphyrins 2a – g and 3f , g with amino‐functionalized meso‐positioned aryl substituents in yields up to 73% (Scheme 1 and Table). The products obtained are attractive intermediates for further derivatization of porphyrins and may be of potential use as sensitizers in photodynamic cancer therapy.     

Steric and electronic contributions to barriers of internal rotation in 1,8-dibenzoylnaphthalenes

Restricted rotation about the naphthalenylcarbonyl bonds in the title compounds resulted in mixtures of cis and trans rotamers, the equilibrium and the rotational barriers depending on the substituents. For 2,7-dimethyl-1,8-di-(p-toluoyl)-naphthalene (1) ΔH° = 3.66 ± 0.14 kJ mol^?1, ΔS° = 1.67 ± 0.63 J mol^?1 K^?1, ΔH^≠_ct = 55.5 ± 1.3 kJ mol^?1, ΔH^≠_ct = 51.9 ± 1.3 kJ mol^?1, ΔS^≠_ct = ?41.3±4.1 J mol^?1 K^?1 and ΔS^≠_ct = ?42.9±4.1 J mol^?1 K^?1. The rotation about the phenylcarbonyl bond requires ΔH^≠ = ?56.9±4.4 kJ mol^?1 and ΔS^≠ = ?20.5±15.3 J mol^?1 K^?1 for the cis rotamer, and ΔH^≠ = 43.5Δ0.4 kJ mol^?1 and ΔS^≠ =± ?22.4Δ1.3 J mol^?1 K^?1 for the trans rotamer. The role of electronic factors is likely to be virtually the same for both these rotamers but steric interaction between the two phenyl rings occurs in the cis rotamer only. Hence, the difference of the activation enthalpies obtained for the cis and trans rotamers, ΔΔH^?1 = 13.4 kJ mol^?1, provides a basis for the estimation of the role of steric factors in this rotation. For the tetracarboxylic acid 2 and its tetramethyl ester 3 the equilibrium is even more shifted towards the trans form because of enhanced steric and electrostatic interactions between the substituents in the cis form. The barriers for the rotation around the phenylcarbonyl bond and the cis-trans isomerization are lowered; an explanation for this result is presented.     

Peripheral Hexabromination,Hexaphenylation, and Hexaethynylation of meso‐Aryl‐Substituted Subporphyrins

Effective peripheral fabrication methods of meso‐aryl‐substituted subporphyrins were explored for the first time. Hexabrominated subporphyrins 2 were prepared quantitatively from the bromination of subporphyrins 1 with bromine. Hexaphenylated subporphyrins 3 and hexaethynylated subporphyrins 4 and 5 were synthesized by Suzuki–Miyaura coupling and Stille coupling, respectively, in good yields. X‐ray crystal structures of 2 b , 3 b , 4 b , and 5 a revealed preservation of the bowl‐shaped bent structures with bowl depths similar to that of 1 . Hexaethynylated subporphyrins exhibit large two‐photon‐absorption cross‐sections due to effective delocalization of the conjugated network to the ethynyl substituents.     

Ring‐opening polymerization of rac‐ and meso‐lactide initiated by indium bis(phenolate) isopropoxy complexes

Ring‐opening polymerization of rac‐ and meso‐lactide initiated by indium bis(phenolate) isopropoxides {1,4‐dithiabutanediylbis(4,6‐di‐tert‐butylphenolate)}(isopropoxy)indium ( 1 ) and {1,4‐dithiabutanediylbis(4,6‐di(2‐phenyl‐2‐propyl)phenolate)}(isopropoxy)indium ( 2 ) is found to follow first‐order kinetics for monomer conversion. Activation parameters ΔH^? and ΔS^? suggest an ordered transition state. Initiators 1 and 2 polymerize meso‐lactide faster than rac‐lactide. In general, compound 2 with the more bulky cumyl ortho‐substituents in the phenolate moiety shows higher polymerization activity than 1 with tert‐butyl substituents. meso‐Lactide is polymerized to syndiotactic poly(meso‐lactides) in THF, while polymerization of rac‐lactide in THF gives atactic poly(rac‐lactides) with solvent‐dependent preferences for heterotactic (THF) or isotactic (CH₂Cl₂) sequences. Indium bis(phenolate) compound rac‐(1,2‐cyclohexanedithio‐2,2′‐bis{4,6‐di(2‐phenyl‐2‐propyl)phenolato}(isopropoxy)indium ( 3 ) polymerizes meso‐lactide to give syndiotactic poly(meso‐lactide) with narrow molecular weight distributions and rac‐lactide in THF to give heterotactically enriched poly(rac‐lactides). © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013 , 51, 4983–4991     

Evidence for a Rapid Degenerate Hetero‐Cope‐Type Rearrangement in [Cp*W(S)2S‐CH2‐CHCH2]

Treatment of the salt [PPh₄]⁺[Cp*W(S)₃]^? ( 6 ) with allyl bromide gave the neutral complex [Cp*W(S)₂S‐CH₂‐CH?CH₂] ( 7 ). The product 7 was characterized by an X‐ray crystal structure analysis. Complex 7 features dynamic NMR spectra that indicate a rapid allyl automerization process. From the analysis of the temperature‐dependent NMR spectra a Gibbs activation energy of ΔG^≠ (278 K)≈13.7±0.1 kcal mol^?1 was obtained [ΔH^≠≈10.4±0.1 kcal mol^?1; ΔS^≠≈?11.4 cal mol^?1 K^?1]. The DFT calculation identified an energetically unfavorable four‐membered transition state of the “forbidden” reaction and a favorable six‐membered transition state of the “Cope‐type” allyl rearrangement process at this transition‐metal complex core.     

Ambident PCN Heterocycles: N‐ and P‐Phosphanylation of Lithium 1,3‐Benzazaphospholides

Synthetic and structural aspects of the phosphanylation of 1,3‐benzazaphospholides 1_Li , ambident benzofused azaphosphacyclopentadienides, are presented. The unusual properties of phospholyl‐1,3,2‐diazaphospholes inspired us to study the coupling of 1_Li with chlorodiazaphospholene 2 , which led to the N‐substituted product 3 . Reaction of 1_Li with chlorodiphenyl‐ and chlorodicyclohexylphosphane likewise gave N‐phosphanylbenzazaphospholes 4 and 5 , whereas with the more bulky di‐tert‐butyl‐ and di‐1‐adamantylchlorophosphanes, the diphosphanes 6 and 7 are obtained; in the case of 7 they are isolated as a dimeric LiCl(THF) adduct. Structural information was provided by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction and solution NMR spectroscopy experiments. 2D exchange spectroscopy confirmed the existence of two rotamers of the aminophosphane 5 at room temperature; variable‐temperature NMR spectroscopy studies of 6 revealed two dynamic processes, low‐temperature inversion at ring phosphorus (ΔH^≠=22 kJ mol^?1, ΔS^≠=2 J K^?1 mol^?1) and very low‐temperature rotation of the tBu₂P group. Quantum chemical studies give evidence that 2‐unsubstituted benzazaphospholides prefer N‐phosphanylation, even with bulky chlorophosphanes, and that substituents at the 2‐position of the heterocycle are crucial for the occurrence of P–N rotamers and for switching to alternative P‐substitution, beyond a threshold steric bulk, by both P‐ and 2‐position substituents.     

meso‐Free BIII Subporphyrins with Electron‐donating Groups

meso‐Free B^III 5,10‐bis(p‐dimethylaminophenyl)subporphyrins were synthesized. They display red‐shifted absorption and fluorescence spectra, bathochromic behaviors in polar solvents, a high fluorescence quantum yield (Φ_F=0.57), and a small HOMO–LUMO gap mainly due to destabilized HOMO as compared with meso‐free B^III 5,10‐diphenylsubporphyrin. This subporphyrin serves as a nice precursor of various meso‐substituted B^III subporphyrins such as B^III meso‐nitrosubporphyrin, B^III meso‐aminosubporphyrin, and meso‐meso’ linked B^III azosubporphyrin dimer. Reactions of meso‐free B^III subporphyrins with NBS or bis(2,4,6‐trimethylpyridine)bromonium hexafluorophosphate gave meso‐meso′ linked subporphyrin dimers, often as a major product along with meso‐bromosubporphyrins.     

Sels de Pyrylium. XVIII. Etude par RMN du Carbone-13 de Sels d'Aminopyrylium et des Barrières de Rotation dans quelques Cations N,N-Diméthylaminopyrylium

The C-2—N bond of 2-N,N-dimethylaminopyrylium cations has a partial π character due to the conjugation of the nitrogen lone-pair with the ring. The values of ΔG^≠, ΔH^≠, ΔS^≠ parameters related to the corresponding hindered rotation have been determined by ¹³C NMR total bandshape analysis. This conjugation decreases the electrophilic character of carbon C-4 so that the displacement of the alkoxy group is no longer possible. Such a hindered rotation also exists in 4-N,N-dimethylaminopyrylium cations and the corresponding ΔG^≠ parameters have been evaluated. Comparison of these two cationic species shows that hindered rotation around the C—N bond is larger in position 4 than in position 2. Furthermore, the barrier to internal rotation around the C-2? N bond decreases with increasing electron donating power of the substituent at position 4. ΔG^≠ values decreases from 19.1 kcal mol^?1 (79.9 kJ mol^?1) to 12.6 kcal mol^?1 (52.7 kJ mol^?1) according to the following sequence for the R-4 substituents: -C₆H₅, -CH₃, -OCH₃, -N(CH₃)₂.     

The psuedo‐michael reaction of 2‐aminoimidazolines 2. Part 1. Synthesis and structure assignment of isomeric 5(1H)‐Oxo and 7(1H)‐Oxo‐2,3‐dihydroimidazo[1,2‐a]pyrimidine‐6‐carboxylates

The pseudo‐Michael reaction of 1‐aryl‐2‐aminoimidazolines‐2 with diethyl ethoxymethylenemalonate (DEEM) was investigated. Extensive structural studies were performed to confirm the reaction course. For derivatives with N1 aromatic substituents, it was found that the reaction course was temperature dependent. When the reaction temperature was held at ?10 °C only the formation of 1‐aryl‐7(1H)‐oxo‐2,3‐dihydroimi‐dazo[1,2‐a]pyrimidine‐6‐carboxylates ( 4 ) was observed in contrast to earlier suggestions. Under the room temperature conditions, the same reaction yielded mixtures, with varying ratio, of isomeric 1‐aryl‐7(1H)‐oxo‐ ( 4a‐4f ) and 1‐aryl‐5(1H)‐oxo‐2,3‐dihydroimidazo[1,2‐a]pyrimidine‐6‐carboxylates ( 5a‐5f ). The molecular structure of selected isomers, 4b and 5c , was confirmed by X‐ray crystallography. Frontal chro‐matography with delivery from the edge was applied for the separation of the isomeric esters. The isomer ratio of the reaction products depended on the character of the substituents on the phenyl ring. The 1‐aryl‐7(1H)‐oxo‐carboxylates ( 4a‐4f ) were preferably when the phenyl ring contained H, 4‐CH₃, 4‐OCH₃ and 3,4‐Cl₂ substituents. Chloro substitution at either position 3 or 4 in the phenyl ring favored the formation of isomers 5a‐5f . The isomer ratios were confirmed both by ¹H NMR and chromatography. The reaction of the respective hydrobromides of 1‐aryl‐2‐aminoimidazoline‐2 with DEEM, in the presence of triethylamine, gave selectively 5(1H)‐oxo‐esters ( 5a‐5f ).     

Crystallization experiments with the dinuclear chelate ring complex di‐μ‐chlorido‐bis[(η2‐2‐allyl‐4‐methoxy‐5‐{[(propan‐2‐yloxy)carbonyl]methoxy}phenyl‐κC1)platinum(II)]

Crystallization experiments with the dinuclear chelate ring complex di‐μ‐chlorido‐bis[(η²‐2‐allyl‐4‐methoxy‐5‐{[(propan‐2‐yloxy)carbonyl]methoxy}phenyl‐κC¹)platinum(II)], [Pt₂(C₁₅H₁₉O₄)₂Cl₂], containing a derivative of the natural compound eugenol as ligand, have been performed. Using five different sets of crystallization conditions resulted in four different complexes which can be further used as starting compounds for the synthesis of Pt complexes with promising anticancer activities. In the case of vapour diffusion with the binary chloroform–diethyl ether or methylene chloride–diethyl ether systems, no change of the molecular structure was observed. Using evaporation from acetonitrile (at room temperature), dimethylformamide (DMF, at 313 K) or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO, at 313 K), however, resulted in the displacement of a chloride ligand by the solvent, giving, respectively, the mononuclear complexes (acetonitrile‐κN)(η²‐2‐allyl‐4‐methoxy‐5‐{[(propan‐2‐yloxy)carbonyl]methoxy}phenyl‐κC¹)chloridoplatinum(II) monohydrate, [Pt(C₁₅H₁₉O₄)Cl(CH₃CN)]·H₂O, (η²‐2‐allyl‐4‐methoxy‐5‐{[(propan‐2‐yloxy)carbonyl]methoxy}phenyl‐κC¹)chlorido(dimethylformamide‐κO)platinum(II), [Pt(C₁₅H₁₉O₄)Cl(C₂H₇NO)], and (η²‐2‐allyl‐4‐methoxy‐5‐{[(propan‐2‐yloxy)carbonyl]methoxy}phenyl‐κC¹)chlorido(dimethyl sulfoxide‐κS)platinum(II), determined as the analogue {η²‐2‐allyl‐4‐methoxy‐5‐[(ethoxycarbonyl)methoxy]phenyl‐κC¹}chlorido(dimethyl sulfoxide‐κS)platinum(II), [Pt(C₁₄H₁₇O₄)Cl(C₂H₆OS)]. The crystal structures confirm that acetonitrile interacts with the Pt^II atom via its N atom, while for DMSO, the S atom is the coordinating atom. For the replacement, the longest of the two Pt—Cl bonds is cleaved, leading to a cis position of the solvent ligand with respect to the allyl group. The crystal packing of the complexes is characterized by dimer formation via C—H…O and C—H…π interactions, but no π–π interactions are observed despite the presence of the aromatic ring.     

Control of Conformation and Chirality of Nonplanar π‐Conjugated Diporphyrins Using Substituents and Axial Ligands

Nonplanar conformations of pyrazine‐fused Zn^II diporphyrins could be controlled by the choice of the meso‐aryl substituents and an axial ligand on the central metals. Zn^II diporphyrins bearing sterically demanding meso‐aryl groups with ortho‐substituents led to a twisted chiral D₂ conformation, while an achiral C_2h form was preferred in the case of aryl groups without ortho‐substituents. Helical chirality induction on Zn^II diporphyrins in the twisted conformation was achieved by controlling their handedness of the molecular twist through coordination of optically active 1‐phenethylamine.     

1H NMR Study of Hindered Internal Rotation of Tetramethylthiuram Disulfide in Binary Dimethyl Sulfoxide‐Chloroform Mixtures

Hindered internal rotation about the C‐N single bonds joining the thiuram disulfide was studied by ¹H NMR complete line‐shaped analysis in different dimethyl sulfoxide‐chloroform (DMSO‐CDCl₃) mixtures. From the temperature dependence of methyls proton spectra, activation parameters (E_a, ΔH^≠, ΔS^≠, and ΔG^≠) were obtained. The Arrhenius plots showed a distinct isokinetic temperature at about 35 °C at which the exchange rate is more or less independent of the solvent composition. The resulting ΔH^≠ against TΔS^≠ plot showed a firmly good linear correlation, indicating the existence of an enthalpy‐entropy composition in an exchange process.     

Activation of the aromatic system by the SO2CF3 group: Kinetics study and structure–reactivity relationships

The rate constants for the reaction of 2,6‐bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)‐4‐nitroanisole with some substituted anilines have been measured by spectrophotometric methods in methanol at various temperatures. The data are consistent with the S_NAr mechanism. The effect of substituents on the rate of reaction has been examined. Good linear relationships were obtained from the plots of log k₁ against Hammett σ_para constants values at all temperature with negative ρ values (?1.68 to ?1.11). Activation parameters Δ^≠H varied from 41.6 to 54.3 kJ mol^?1 and Δ^≠S from ?142.7 to ?114.6 J mol^?1 K^?1. The δΔ^≠H and δΔ^≠S reaction constants were determined from the dependence of Δ^≠H and Δ^≠S activation parameters on the σ substituent constants, by analogy with the Hammett equation. A plot of Δ^≠H versus Δ^≠S for the reaction gave good straight line with 177°C isokinetic temperature. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 42: 203–210, 2010     

Single‐Electron Transfer in σ‐Complexation Reactions of 2,6‐Dimethoxy‐3,5‐dinitropyridine with Para‐X‐phenoxide Anions in Aqueous Solution

Second‐order rate constants have been measured spectrophotometrically for reactions of 2,6‐dimethoxy‐3,5‐dinitropyridine 1 with 4‐X‐substituted phenoxide anions (X = OMe, Me, H, Cl, and CN) 2a–e in aqueous solution at various temperatures. The effect of phenoxide substituents on the reaction rate was examined quantitatively on the basis of kinetic measurements, leading to nonlinear correlations of Δ^≠H and Δ^≠S with Hammett's substituent constants (σ). Each Hammett plots exhibits two intersecting straight lines for the reactions of 1 with the phenoxide anions 2a–e , whereas the Yukawa–Tsuno plots for the same reactions are linear. The large negative ρ values (?4.03 to ?3.80) obtained for the reactions of 1 with the phenoxide anions possessing an electron‐donating group supports the proposal that the reactions proceed through a single‐electron transfer mechanism.     

Mechanistic Aspects of Ligand Substitution on the Hydroxopentaaquarhodium(III) Ion in Aqueous Solution by Sulfur‐Containing Bioactive Ligands

The kinetics of the interactions between three sulfur‐containing ligands, thioglycolic acid, 2‐thiouracil, glutathione, and the title complex, have been studied spectrophotometrically in aqueous medium as a function of the concentrations of the ligands, temperature, and pH at constant ionic strength. The reactions follow a two‐step process in which the first step is ligand‐dependent and the second step is ligand‐independent chelation. Rate constants (k₁ ～10^?3 s^?1 and k₂ ～10^?5 s^?1) and activation parameters (for thioglycolic acid: ΔH₁^≠ = 22.4 ± 3.0 kJ mol^?1, ΔS₁^≠ = ?220 ± 11 J K^?1 mol^?1, ΔH₂^≠ = 38.5 ± 1.3 kJ mol^?1, ΔS₂^≠ = ?204 ± 4 J K^?1 mol^?1; for 2‐thiouracil: ΔH₁^≠ = 42.2 ± 2.0 kJ mol^?1, ΔS₁^≠ = ?169 ± 6 J K^?1 mol^?1, ΔH₂^≠ = 66.1 ± 0.5 kJ mol^?1, ΔS₂^≠ = ?124 ± 2 J K^?1 mol^?1; for glutathione: ΔH₁^≠ = 47.2 ± 1.7 kJ mol^?1, ΔS₁^≠ = ?155 ± 5 J K^?1mol^?1, ΔH₂^≠ = 73.5 ± 1.1 kJ mol^?1, ΔS₂^≠ = ?105 ± 3 J K^?1 mol^?1) were calculated. Based on the kinetic and activation parameters, an associative interchange mechanism is proposed for the interaction processes. The products of the reactions have been characterized from IR and ESI mass spectroscopic analysis. A rate law involving the outer sphere association complex formation has been established as      

1H and 13C NMR analysis of 2‐acetamido‐3‐mercapto‐3‐methyl‐N‐aryl‐butanamides and 2‐acetamido‐3‐methyl‐3‐nitrososulfanyl‐N‐aryl‐butanamide derivatives

The complete assignment of the ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra of various 2‐acetamido‐3‐mercapto‐3‐methyl‐N‐aryl‐butanamides and 2‐acetamide‐3‐methyl‐3‐nitrososulfanyl‐N‐aryl‐butanamides with p‐methoxy, o‐chloro and m‐chloro substituents is reported. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Observation of Diastereomeric Interconversions of β‐Sulfinylsubporphyrins as Evidence for Bowl Inversion

B‐Methoxy β‐(4‐methoxyphenylsulfinyl)subporphyrin and B‐phenyl β‐(4‐methoxyphenylsulfinyl)subporphyrin were synthesized by oxidation of the corresponding β‐sulfanylsubporphyrins with m‐chloroperbenzoic acid and were separated into diastereomers, respectively. B‐Methoxy subporphyrin diastereomers were interconverted to each other in methanol or ethanol, whereas such interconversion was not observed for B‐phenyl subporphyrin diastereomers even at high temperature. Diastereomeric interconversions of B‐methoxy subporphyrins were dramatically accelerated by addition of trifluoroacetic acid. These results suggest that the diastereomeric interconversions of B‐methoxy subporphyrins, namely, their bowl inversions, proceed via a mechanism involving protonation‐induced generation of subporphyrin borenium cations followed by nucleophilic attacks by alcohols.