Corrin

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This article is about the chemical macrocycle. For the world of the same name in Frank Herbert's Dune, see Corrin (Dune).
Corrin
Corrin

A corrin is a macrocycle related to the porphyrin ring in hemoglobin, consisting of 4 pyrrole subunits, joined on opposite sides by a C-CH3 methylene link, on one side by a C-H methylene link, and with the two of the pyrroles joined directly. Compared to a porphyrin, it is missing a bridging methylene group between a pair of pyrroles. This ring is central to the cobalt containing vitamin, vitamin B12, or cobalamin. Corrins have properties related to porphyrins, but:

  • They are more flexible than porphyrins.
  • They are not as flat as porphyrins.
  • Because of the loss of the bridging methylene, they do not have a full conjugated character around the entire ring. Instead, the ring has a kind of "3/4" conjugation.

The related corroles are fully aromatic.


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