TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Method: The combining step is carried out by combining the mixture containing the 1-monoacyldipyyrromethane with R1R2MX. The combining step is carried out in solution and the metal complex is solubilized or suspended in the solution. The method further comprises combining the metal complex with a hindered alkyl amine base in an organic solvent to form a solid comprising the metal complex, and then separating the solid from the organic solvent. The method further comprises decomplexing the 1-monoacyldipyrromethane complex by combining the metal complex with hydroxide, alcohol and/or water. R1R2MX is immobilized on a solid support and the method further comprises releasing the 1-monoacyldipyyrromethane from the solid support. In (A), the acylating step is carried out with an acylating agent in the presence of a Grignard reagent, and optionally a base to produce the 1,9-diacyldipyrromethane metal complex. The acylating agent is an acid halide acylating agent, an active ester acylating agent, or a pyridyl thioate Mukaiyama reagent. The conjugate acid of the base used in (A) has a pKa greater than that of the conjugate acid of the nonacylated pyrrole group in the 1-monoacyldipyrromethane. The base is the deprotonated form of a compound selected from tetralkylpiperidine, dicycloalkylamine and disilizane. In (A), the base may be present or added as a preformed base. The base may also be formed in situ, and the conjugate acid of the base has a pKa less than that of the conjugate acid of the Grignard reagent. The base may be present or absent and the Grignard reagent is a hindered Grignard reagent. In (A): the method further comprises decomplexing the 1,9-diacyldipyrromethane from the metal complex, by combining the metal complex with a hydroxide, alcohol and/or water to form a product. The method further comprises combining the product with R1R2M'X'2 in the presence of a base to form a metal complex of formula DM'R1R2 in the mixed reaction product, and then separating the metal complex from the mixed reaction product. The method further comprises reducing the metal complex with a reducing agent to form a diol from the 1,9-diacyldipyrromethane and then condensing the diol with a dipyrromethane to form a porphyrin ring. In (B): the substituting step is a halogenating step. The method further comprises forming a carbinol reduction product of the 1-acyl-9-substituted dipyrromethane boron complex, then condensing the carbinol reduction product with a chlorin western half in an organic solvent in the present of an acid to form a condensation product, and then oxidatively cyclizing the condensation product to produce a chlorin. The oxidative cyclization is carried out in an organic solvent in the presence of a base, an oxidant and a metal salt.M'= Sn, Si, Ge or Pb;X' = halo, OAc, acac or OTF;DH2 = 1,9-diacyldipyrromethane.Preferred Materials: The hindered alkyl amine base is triethylamine, diisopropylethylamine or triphenylamine. The solvent comprises dichloromethane. In (D), the reducing step is carried out with NaBH4 in an organic solvent. EXAMPLE - A solution of EtMgBr (20.0 ml, 1.0 M in THF) was added slowly to a solution of a compound of formula (1a) (2.22 g) in THF (10 ml) under argon. The resulting mixture was stirred at room temperature for 10 mins. and then cooled to -78 degreesC. A solution of S-2-pyridyl 4-methylbenzothioate (2.29 g) in THF (10 ml) was added. The solution was stirred at -78degrees C for 10 mins., then warmed to room temperature. The reaction mixture was quenched by addition of saturated aqueous NH4Cl (40 ml). The mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (30 ml). The organic layer was washed (water and brine), dried (Na2SO4), and filtered. The filtrate was concentrated. The crude product (a red-orange oil) thus obtained was dissolved in CH2Cl2 (20 ml) and treated with TEA (3.35 ml) followed by 9-BBN-OTf of formula (2a) (40 ml, 0.5 M in hexane) with stirring at room temperature. A precipitate formed which largely consisted of the salt of TEA and triflic acid. After 1 hour, the mixture was poured onto a pad of silica (4 x 8 cm) eluting with CH2Cl2. The product eluted as a fast-moving yellow band, which upon concentration afforded a yellow-orange solid (3.12 g, 67%) of a compound of formula (Ia).