The azomethine ylide generated from the reaction of (beta-formyl-meso-tetraphenylporphyrinato)nickel(II) with N-methylglycine reacts with a range of dipolarophiles, yielding new beta-substituted-meso-tetraphenylporphyrins. The regio- and stereochemistry of the new compounds was established using one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques.