Zinc-meso-tetra-p-tolylporphyrin and its chlorotoluene channel-type clathrate with pi-pi and C-H center dot center dot center dot pi interaction modes stabilizing the porphyrin host lattice

The title compound, (meso-5,10,15,20-tetra-p-tolylporphyrinato-N,N',N '',Ntriple prime)zinc(II), [Zn(C48H36N4)], displays a high tendency to form complexes and clathrates with other components from various environments, and is a useful building black for the construction of heteromolecular solids. Modes of its intermolecular assembly in the pure compound and in its clathrate with m-chlorotoluene, [Zn(C48H36N4)].C7H7Cl, have been characterized by X-ray crystal-structure analysis. The clathrate appears to be stabilized by pi-pi ir stacking and cooperative C-H ...pi interactions between the tolyl substituents and contains large interporphyrin channels extending throughout the crystal.