Template-directed synthesis of flexible porphyrin nanocage and nanorings via one-step olefin metathesis.

We describe the fabrication of a suite of flexible porphyrin cages and nanorings from a simple tetraalkene-derived zinc porphyrin monomer via a highly efficient template-directed strategy. The zinc porphyrin monomers were preorganized together by coordination with N atoms of multidentate ligands. Subsequent one-step olefin metathesis furnished a bisporphyrin cage, a triporphyrin nanoring, and a hexaporphyrin nanoring. In the case of the hexaporphyrin nanoring, 24 terminal olefins from six porphyrin monomers reacted with each other to form 12 new double bonds, delivering the final product. The triporphyrin and hexaporphyrin nanorings were further employed as hosts to encapsulate C60 and C70.