The synthesis, characterization and spectral properties of six new meso-aryl core modified sapphyrins are described. An efficient approach involving an acid catalyzed condensation of bithiophene diol 1 and modified tripyrranes 2a–2e allows preparation of the desired meso-aryl sapphyrins in 16–36% yield. The product distribution and the isolated yield were found to be dependent on the nature of the acid catalyst (Lewis acid or protic acid) and its concentration. Protic acid catalyst exclusively gave the expected sapphyrins while two additional products, an 18π tetraphenylporphyrin and a 26π modified rubyrin, were isolated under Lewis acid catalysis. An analysis of proton NMR and absorption spectral data suggests that in free base sapphyrins, the heterocyclic ring opposite to the bithiophene unit is inverted as in N-5 meso-aryl sapphyrin and the degree of inversion is dependent on the nature of the heterocyclic ring. The energy optimized structure calculated from the semi-empirical method substantiates such a conclusion. Protonation of sapphyrins generates respective mono- and dications and the heterocyclic ring retains an inverted structure in contrast to normal N-5 sapphyrins. The triplet excited lifetimes for free base and protonated derivatives are similar both under argon saturated and air equilibrated conditions, indicating that the triplet state quenching by oxygen is minimal. Cyclic voltammetric studies reveal easier reductions and harder oxidations relative to meso-aryl porphyrins and the Δ_redox observed for 3d suggests significant reduction of the HOMO–LUMO energy gap consistent with the large red shift observed for the Soret band.