Synthesis and properties of a constrained tartaric acid amide-linked zinc bisporphyrinate

•We successfully synthesized a new chiral bisporphyrin and its zinc porphyrinate with a five-membered ring in the linker.•The five-membered ring is located in the cavity formed by two porphyrin subunits.•The five-membered ring could increase the constraint and lower the zinc bisporphyinate’s enantioselectivity.