Nicholas Zosel

Aluminum porphyrins are large macromolecules with multiple favorable properties for use in photocatalysis. An aluminum porphyrin – manganese terpyridine complex was synthesized as a model photocatalytic system. Absorption studies of the complex revealed that upon manganese insertion into the aluminum porphyrin – terpyridine molecule, the terpyridine ligand was cleaved from the axial position of the aluminum porphyrin. Subsequent absorption studies of the isolated terpyridine and the manganese terpyridine suggested that the loss of terpyridine ligand was caused by its reaction with a carboxylic acid on the aluminum porphyrin. To prevent the axial position of aluminum porphyrin from reacting with the carboxylic acid of another aluminum porphyrin, a process was designed using previously established methods to convert this carboxylic acid into a hydroxamic acid. It is predicted that the conversion of the carboxylic acid to a hydroxamic acid will prevent several issues that complicate aluminum porphyrin studies. The results of the hydroxamic acid conversion process await characterization.