Dendritic metalloporphyrins with a distal H-bond donor as mimics of haemoglobin.

We report the synthesis of iron(II) porphyrins functionalised with first- and second-generation dendrons as mimics of haemoglobin. The porphyrin core bears an ethynyl linker pointing towards the centre of the molecule, in an ideal position for the introduction of a series of distal ligands as potential H-bond donors by Pd0-catalysed Sonogashira cross-coupling.