Extremely Nonplanar <i>meso</i>-<i>cis</i>-Bis(Trifluoromethyl)-Substituted Tetrabenzoporphyrin Copper Complex with Remarkably Short N–Cu Distances

We synthesized a 5,10-bis(trifluoromethyl)tetrabenzoporphyrin copper complex (cis-2CF3-TBPCu) by first treating 5,10-bis(trifluoromethyl)tetrabutanoporphyrin (cis-2CF3-TbP) with copper(II) acetate. The subsequent oxidation of the resulting 5,10-bis(trifluoromethyl)tetrabutanoporphyrin copper complex (cis-2CF3-TbPCu) was achieved using 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ). The crystal structure of cis-2CF3-TBPCu exhibited remarkably short N–Cu distances and was extremely nonplanar. Although the exact reason for the occurrence of these features remains unclear, it can possibly be attributed to the coordination of copper ions of +3 valency in the radical anionic ligand.