N-heterocyclic carbene bonding to cobalt porphyrin complexes

N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) coordination to a cobalt(III) center embedded in a porphyrin scaffold has been accomplished by decarboxylation from N,N’-dimethylimidazolium-2-carboxylate in the presence of Co(TPP)Cl (TPP = 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrin). The distal chloride ligand in the resulting complexes Co(NHC)(TPP)Cl was successfully substituted with imidazoles and alcohols. Single crystal X-ray diffraction of the latter complexes Co(NHC)(TPP)(ROH) (R = Me, Et) revealed a pronounced ruffling of the porphyrin macrocycle due to the two ortho methyl groups in the carbene ligand and because of the relatively short distance between the cobalt center and the carbene ligand. Spectroscopic investigations support a substantial porphyrin dearomatization upon NHC bonding.