5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(trifluoromethyl)prophyrin zinc complex 2 has been shown to undergo monobromination and regioselective dibromination to give beta-bromoporphyrins 3a-c. The free base beta-bromoporphyrins 4a,b are converted to aryl porphyrins through Suzuki cross-coupling reaction: (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.