Intermolecular π‐stacking and F...F interactions of fluorine‐substituted meso‐alkynylporphyrin

Two C2‐symmetric meso‐alkynylporphyrins, namely 5,15‐bis(4‐butyl‐2,3,5,6‐tetrafluorophenyl)ethynyl]‐10,20‐dipropylporphyrin, C₅₀H₄₂F₈N₄, (I), and 5,15‐bis(4‐butylphenyl)ethynyl]‐10,20‐dipropylporphyrin, C₅₀H₅₀N₄, (II), show remarkable π–π stacking that forms columns of porphyrin centers. The tetrafluorophenylene moieties in (I) show intermolecular interactions with each other through the F atoms, forming one‐dimensional ribbons. No significant π–π interactions are observed in the plane of the phenylene and tetrafluorophenylene moieties in either (I) or (II). The molecules of both compounds lie about inversion centers.