Confusion, inversion, and creation - A new spring from porphyrin chemistry

This article mainly deals with the recent serendipity of novel porphyrin analogs such as N-confused porphyrin. The unique property of this ligand allows the formation of a variety of metal complexes. The important aspect of dynamic flipping (inversion), induced either by confusion or expansion of the macro-cyclic core, that leads to the generation of new porphyrinoids, is emphasized. This review concludes with the recent progress on expanded porphyrins bearing confused, inverted, and fused pyrrole rings.