Kinetics of the Formation of Metalloporphyrins and the Catalytic Effect of Lead Ions and Hydrogen Ions

The reaction mechanism of Lead ions catalyzing complexation reactions between TIPP and metal ions was investigated by researching the kinetics of the formation of metalloporphyrins by UV/Vis-spectra, and verified by exploring the formation of metalloporphyrins catalyzed by acetic acid. Kinetics studies suggested that the fluctuations of reaction rate indicated the formation of metalloporphyrin was step-wise, including the pre-equilibrium step (the coordination of the pyrrolenine nitrogens to $Mn^+$) and the rate-controlling step (the deprotonation of the pyrrole proton). In the pre-equalization step, a sitting-atop (SAT) structure formed first with the complexation between larger radius of $Pb^{2+}$ and TIPP, changed the activation, then $Pb^{2+}$ left with the smaller radius of metal ions attacking from the back of the porphyrin ring center. In the rate-controlling step, two pyrrole protons dissociated to restore a stable structure. This was verified by adding acetic acid at different reaction times.