Linearly pi-extended porphyrins often show significantly broadened and red-shifted absorption bands due to the largely extended pi-system. As such, linearly pi-extended porphyrins appear to be attractive candidates as sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells.^1-3 Linearly pi-extended porphyrins, such as benzoporphyrins, are generally very difficult to synthesize and functionalize. In this presentation, we present concise and versatile synesthetic methods to access different types of benzoporphyrins. Push-pull porphyrins, in which the push (electron-donating) and pull (electron-withdrawing) groups are installed at the porphyrin beta-positions are also designed and synthesized.^4-6 These porphyrins are evaluated as sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells. Significant linker effects and push-pull effects were observed for these porphyrins. Systematic investigation on linker groups, electron-donating groups as well as electron-withdrawing groups are performed using UV-Vis spectroscopy, life-time and steady state fluorescence spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and DFT calculations.