Abstract The reactions of 4-phenyl-and 4-phenoxyphthalimide with benzoic acid in the presence of zinc (II) oxide gave zinc complexes of meso-tetraphenyltetra (4-phenylbenzo) porphyrin and meso-tetraphenyltetra (4-phenoxybenzo) porphyrin, respectively, and the latter were treated with hydrochloric acid to isolate the corresponding metal-free prophyrins. Spectral properties of the complexes and ligands were studied.