Abstract: Carbon nanotubes are purified by adding the carbon nanotubes into a solution in which a template compound consisting of receptor regions each including a conjugated ring structure and a spacer region that fixes the receptor region is dissolved, extracting specific carbon nanotubes into the solution, and recovering the extracted carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: Novel meso-aryl substituted expanded porphyrins comprising of alternate arrangement of more than six of pyrrole units bridged by a methine group whose hydrogen is substituted with Ar-group; and their synthetic method. Ar-group is either a 2,6-substituted phenyl group which can possess a substituent at the other 3, 4, and 5 positions, or 9-anthryl group which can possess a substituent at the other positions of the anthracence, or a cyclohexyl group which can possess a substituent at the other positions of the cyclohexyl group. The substituents at the 2 and 6 positions mentioned above can be selected independently from halogen atom or lower alkyl group of carbon number 1 to 4, substituents at 3-5 positions, 9-anthryl group and cyclohexyl group can be selected independently from the group consisting of substituted or non-substituted alkyl of carbon number 5 or 6, substituted or non-substituted aryl group, besides above mentioned substituents at 2 and 6 positions. Each Ar-group can be different.

Abstract: A porphyrin ring-fusion polymer which consists of two or more Zn(II)-porphyrin rings fused in a single direction and in which any two porphyrin rings adjacent to each other are fused by three covalent bonds, that is, one meso-meso carbon bond (i.e., one bond between meso-position carbon atoms) and two &bgr;—&bgr; carbon bonds (i.e., two bonds between &bgr;-position carbon atoms adjacent to the meso-position carbon atoms); a process for preparing the porphyrin ring-fusion polymer regioselectively by conducing the fusion reaction in an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of a quinoline and Lewis acid containing rare earth element under reflux; and fused-ring porphyrin compound obtained by subjecting the porphyrin ring-fusion polymer to demetallization or replacement of the Zn atoms by other metal atoms.

Abstract: A porphyrin ring-fusion polymer which consists of two or more Zn(II)-porphyrin rings fused in a single direction and in which any two porphyrin rings adjacent to each other are fused by three covalent bonds, that is, one meso-meso carbon bond (i.e., one bond between meso-position carbon atoms) and two &bgr;-&bgr; carbon bonds (i.e., two bonds between &bgr;-position carbon atoms adjacent to the meso-position carbon atoms); a process for preparing the porphyrin ring-fusion polymer regioselectively by conducing the fusion reaction in an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of a quinoline and Lewis acid containing rare earth element under reflux; and fused-ring porphyrin compound obtained by subjecting the porphyrin ring-fusion polymer to demetallization or replacement of the Zn atoms by other metal atoms.

Abstract: Novel meso-aryl substituted expanded porphyrins comprising of alternate arrangement of more than six of pyrrole units bridged by a methine group whose hydrogen is substituted with Ar-group; and their synthetic method. Ar-group is either a 2,6-substituted phenyl group which can possess a substituent at the other 3, 4, and 5 positions, or 9-anthryl group which can possess a substituent at the other positions of the anthracence, or a cyclohexyl group which can possess a substituent at the other positions of the cyclohexyl group. The substituents at the 2 and 6 positions mentioned above can be selected independently from halogen atom or lower alkyl group of carbon number 1 to 4, substituents at 3-5 positions, 9-anthryl group and cyclohexyl group can be selected independently from the group consisting of substituted or non-substituted alkyl of carbon number 5 or 6, substituted or non-substituted aryl group, besides above mentioned substituents at 2 and 6 positions. Each Ar-group can be different.

Abstract: An optical information recording medium comprising a transparent substrate and a recording layer formed thereon, wherein the recording layer contains an extended porphyrin compound represented by the following general formula (1): 1