The acceptor-porphyrin cyclophanes 2 and 4 with pyromellitic diimide (1) as strong electron-acceptor, and the corresponding porphyrin zinc complexes 3 and 5 were prepared by a route which differs considerably from that in the syntheses of previously prepared electron-acceptor porphyrincyclophanes. The conformations of these electron-acceptor-porphyrin cyclophanes are discussed based on 1H-NMR and