The palladium(II)-catalysed carbon-carbon-coupling reaction (Heck reac
tion) between a variety of metalated beta-monohalosubstituted porphyri
ns (2-bromotetraphenylporphyrin, 2-bromo-3,7,8,12,13,17,18-heptaethylp
orphyrin, and 3(8)monoiodo-deuterporphyrin IX dimethyl ester) and a se
ries of terminally substituted acetylenic derivatives, is reported. A
few disubstituted porphyrin analogs were also synthesized using the co
rresponding beta-dihalogenated porphyrin precursors.