The aromatic character of magnesium porphyrins

The aromaticity of magnesium porphyrins have been studied by calculating the nuclear magnetic shieldings in selected points outside the molecules. The strength of the induced ring currents for a given magnetic field have been obtained by using the aromatic-ring-current-shielding (ARCS) method. Nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS) calculations provide additional information about the current routes in the multiple-ring systems. The total aromatic pathway of magnesium porphyrins must be considered as a superposition of several (4n + 2) pi-electron Huckel pathways. We found that all beta-unsaturated pyrrolic rings have local ring currents the strength of which is 70-90% of the current strength for the pyrrole molecule. The present study also shows that the 18 pi-[16]annulene aromatic pathway does not exist in magnesium porphyrins until all four pyrrolic units are saturated in the beta-position.