TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preparation (claimed): (I) are prepared by:(a) condensing (II) and (III) in an organic solvent in the presence of an acid,(b) oxidatively cyclizing the condensation product in an organic solvent in the presence of a base, an oxidant and a metal salt MXn (X = an anion; n = 2-3) and(c) optionally displacing M to create a free base chlorin.Z = halo, alkoxy or acetoxy (preferably Br).Preferably, the acid is a Bronsted or Lewis acid; the organic solvent is polar, nonpolar, protic or aprotic; the base is piperidine; and the oxidant is silver iodate or oxygen. The step of displacing M is preferably carried out with an acid.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Polymer: The polymer comprises 2-200 (preferably 3-50) porphyrinic macrocycle monomers. Preferred Definitions:    M = Zn or Mg, or is absent;    K1-K4 = N, O, S or CH (preferably all N); and    S1-S14 = alkyl.    EXAMPLE - Excess NaBH4 (100 mg) was slowly added to a solution of 1-bromo-3-(4-iodophenyl)-9-(4-methylbenzoyl)dipyrromethane (A) (110 mg) in 7.5 ml of anhydrous THF/MeOH (4:1). The reaction mixture was quenched with cold water and then extracted with CH2Cl2. The combined organic layers were washed with brine, dried (K2CO3) and concentrated in vacuo at room temperature to leave the carbinol (A)-OH in 1-2 ml of CH2Cl2.    Compound (IV) (45 mg) was dissolved in a few ml of CH3CN and combined with the (A)-OH, then additional CH3CN (to 22 ml) and TFA (0.26 mmol) were added.    The reaction mixture was quenched with aqueous NaHCO3 solution (10%) and extracted with CH2Cl2. The combined organic layers were washed with water and brine, dried (Na2SO4) and evaporated in vacuo. The residue was dissolved in toluene (14 ml), and then AgIO3 (848 mg), piperidine (3.0 mmol) and Zn(OAc)2 (550 mg) were added. The mixture was heated at 80 deg. C for 2.5 hours, cooled and passed through a short column (silica, CH2Cl2). The major fraction was concentrated and again chromatographed (silica, hexanes/CH2Cl2 (2:1 then 1:1)). The greenish-blue solid was dissolved in the minimum of CH2Cl2 and precipitated by adding hexanes. 25 mg (18%) of Zn(II)-17,18-dihydro-18,18-dimethyl-5-(4-methylphenyl)-12-(4-iodophenyl)porphyrin were recovered.