LAUSR

While the BF3 complexes of meso-tetra(aryl)porphyrins are readily decomposed into their components under aqueous conditions, immobilization of meso-tetrakis(N-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrin (H2TMPyP) on a nanosized polymer (sodium salt of amberlyst 15, nanoAmbSO3Na) formed a water stable BF3 complex applicable for efficient aerobic photooxidation of 1,5-dihydroxylnaphthalene and sulfides under green conditions. NanoAmbSO3@H2TMPyP(BF3)2 was characterized by diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy (DRS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis (BET), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) techniques. The catalyst was successfully used for 10 consecutive reactions with no detectable degradation of the complex and decrease of the catalyst activity. NanoAmbSO3@H2TMPyP(BF3)2 was also completely stable towards dissociation to its components under different light conditions in acetonitrile. The singlet oxygen quantum yields φΔ of H2TMPyP, nanoAmbSO3@H2TMPyP and their molecular complexes with BF3, determined chemically by using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) revealed substantially higher values in the case of the heterogenized porphyrin and molecular complex.