With the aim of obtaining a porphyrin derivative useful for diagnosis
and therapy of cancer, fluorine analogs of hematoporphyrin, which had
trifluorohydroxyethyl group(s) in the place of hydroxyethyl groups, we
re synthesized by the reaction of deuteroporphyrin dimethyl ester with
trifluoroacetaldehyde in the presence of aluminum chloride. Prelimina
ry results of biological tests of the products showed that the hexaflu
oro analog of hematoporphyrin accumulates to Human liver cancer cells
more selectively than other fluorine analogs.