A meso-tetra-6b,10b-dihydrobenzo[j]cyclobut[a]acenaphthylene free-base porphyrin was synthesised and its photophysical, photochemical and electrochemical properties were compared with those of free-base meso-tetraphenylporphyrin. The frontier orbitals and the HOMO–LUMO energy gaps of both compounds were also determined. It was demonstrated that the meso6b,10b-Dihydrobenzo[j]cyclobut[a]acenaphthylene porphyrin retained the same properties as the tetraphenylporphyrin.