The first liquid-crystalline, expanded porphyrinsElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: synthetic procedures, hydrazinophyrin characterisation, and crystal structure data. See http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/cc/b3/b307901p/

Abstract

Aliphatic derivatives of hydrazinophyrin, a new type of tetrapyrrolic macrocycle prepared by the condensation of 2,5-diformylpyrroles with hydrazine, exhibit liquid crystalline properties as judged from polarising optical microscopy; these hydrazinophyrins appear to be the first mesogens derived from an expanded porphyrin core.