Targeted synthesis of meso-aryl substituted aromatic trans-doubly N-confused dithia/diselena [18] porphyrins (1.1.1.1) with NIR absorption: spectroscopic and theoretical characterization.

High yield synthesis and spectroscopic isolation of two hitherto unknown highly stable single conformers of meso-aryl substituted dithia/diselena trans-doubly N-confused porphyrins with fully π-conjugated [18] annulene structures are reported. In-depth solution state spectroscopic measurements and DFT level theoretical calculations strongly show the distinct aromaticity with strong NIR absorption of these new macrocycles.