Porphyrins are colored aromatic macrocycles, composed of four pyrrole
units, linked by four methine bridges, giving origin to a highly conjugated macrocycle,
known for its remarkable stability. Their remarkable features have given them a wide
fame, and continue to pave the way for multiple purposes nowadays. Herein is
presented a conspectus on the field of porphyrins, where emphasis is set on their
preparation and functionalization methods, along with more detailed examples on
several promising applications with 508 references provided. Some synthetic details on
the preparation of state-of-the-art compounds are given as well.
Keywords: Energy conversion, Photocatalysis, Photodynamic therapy,
Photosynthesis, Porphyrins, Porphyrinoids, Photodynamic therapy.