The invention describes the synthesis of a panel of novel carbon-carbon linked carboranyl-containing 5,10,15,20-tetraphenylporphyrins bearing 25–44% boron by weight. In certain embodiments, a phenyl porphyrin compound has a carboranyl group attached to the phenyl group by a carbon-carbon linkage, wherein the phenyl group corresponds to the following formulawhere R7 through R11 are hydrogen, a carboranyl group, or are selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl, NMe3+, PMePh2+, PO(OH)2, SO3H, COOH, and NH2. In this embodiment, the carboranyl group is attached to the phenyl group by a carbon-carbon linkage, either one or two of R7 through R11 are other than hydrogen; and the phenyl porphyrin compound contains at least one phenyl group having at least one of said carboranyl groups.