NOVELTY - Method (M1) of making porphyrin compound (I) comprises condensing 2-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl-methyl)-1H-pyrrole compounds (III) with substituted 2-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl-methyl)-1H-pyrrole compound (IV) and a metal salt comprising magnesium, zinc, nickel or indium salt, under basic conditions to produce (I).    USE - (I) is useful: as charge storage groups in information storage devices; as chromophores in solar cells, light harvesting-rods and -arrays; and as detectable groups in a variety of detection techniques including flow cytometry, fluorescence spectroscopy, scanning cytometry, fluorescent or immunofluorescent microscopy, laser scanning cytometry, bright field base image analysis, capillary volumetry, manual cell analysis and automated cell analysis.    ADVANTAGE - The method provides: (I) with high yield; high yields of macrocycle formation; high concentration reactions; low reaction times; easy separation of porphine from large amount of polymeric material in the crude reaction mixture; and shortened synthetic paths.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Method (M1) of making porphyrin compound of formula (I) comprises condensing 2-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl-methyl)-1H-pyrrole compounds of formula (III) with substituted 2-(1H-pyrrol-2-yl-methyl)-1H-pyrrole compounds of formula (IV) and a metal salt comprising magnesium-, zinc-, nickel- or indium-salt, under basic conditions to produce (I).    X=O, S, Se, NH, NR, (OR) 2, (SR) 2or (SeR) 2;    A=H, alkenyl, alkynyl, (cyclo)alkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, cycloalkylalkenyl, cycloalkylalkynyl, heterocycloalkyl, heterocycloalkenyl, heterocycloalkynyl, acetal, aryloxy, (hetero)aryl, (hetero)arylalkyl, (hetero)arylalkenyl, (hetero)arylalkynyl, alkoxy, halo, mercapto, azido, CN, acyl, formyl, carboxylic acid, acylamino, ester, amide, OH, nitro, alkylthio, amino, alkylamino, arylalkylamino, disubstituted amino, acyloxy, sulfoxyl, sulfonyl, sulfonate, sulfonic acid, sulfonamide, urea, alkoxylacylamino, aminoacyloxy, linking groups, surface attachment groups, bioconjugatable groups, targeting groups or water-soluble groups;    B1=H, alkenyl, alkynyl, (cyclo)alkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, cycloalkylalkenyl, cycloalkylalkynyl, heterocycloalkyl, heterocycloalkenyl, heterocycloalkynyl, acetal, aryloxy, (hetero)aryl, (hetero)arylalkyl, (hetero)arylalkenyl, (hetero)arylalkynyl, alkoxy, acyl, formyl, carboxylic acid, acylamino, alkylthio, amino, alkylamino, arylalkylamino, disubstituted amino, linking groups, surface attachment groups, bioconjugatable groups, targeting groups or water-soluble groups; and either    R=A; or    RR=annulated arene or annulated alkene.    An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a method (M2) of making porphine comprising condensing 1-formyl dipyrromethane with itself, the metal salt, and condensing 1,9-diformyldipyrromethane with dipyrromethane, or concurrently both condensing 1-formyl dipyrromethane with itself while also condensing 1,9-diformyl dipyrromethane with dipyrromethane, and with the metal salt under basic conditions to produce porphine.