Photophysical Properties and Photoreduction of 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis-(4-N-Methylpyridyl)Porphyrin in Formamide

The photophysical characteristics and photochemical conversions of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(4-N-methylpyridyl)porphyrin in a highly polar solvent, formamide, are investigated. It has been established that no photochemical reactions occur on excitation in the visible spectral region, while UV excitation ( = 347 nm) causes photoreduction of porphyrin molecules followed by the formation of protonated products. The solvent molecules serve as a reducing agent. Photoreduction occurs in both air-saturated and deoxygenated solutions, but the nature of the products formed is different: chlorin molecules are formed in the air-saturated solutions and the successive photoconversion porphyrinphlorinporphometheneporphyrinogene occurs in the deoxygenated solutions.