Synthesis and structural characterization of a novel covalently-bound corrole dimer

The (triphenylphosphine)cobalt(III) complex (2) of 5,10,15-tris(pentafluoro phenyl)corrole (1) is shown to be an valuable precursor to complexes that h ave not been fully characterized previously. In contrast to other cobalt co rroles, aromatic amines can be substituted for the triphenylphosphine in 2 to form six-coordinate bis(amine)cobalt(III) complexes. This is demonstrate d by spectroscopic methods and by X-ray crystallography of the bis-pyridine complex 4, the first of its kind. While 2 and 4 and even their one-electro n oxidized complexes are stable, a spontaneous dimerization of the corrole takes place in the absence of strongly bound ligands. The bis-cobalt comple x of the novel corrole dimer 6 was fully characterized by spectroscopic met hods and X-ray crystallography.