Porphyrin metal (Zn, Cu, and Mg) complex monolayer-protected gold nanorods (GNRs) were, for the first time, synthesized. Their synthesis was easy to access by mixing porphyrin encapsulated GNRs with corresponding excess soluble metal salts in solution, followed by the facile purification through centrifugation and sonication due to the gravity of the GNRs and their solubility in organic solvents. Furthermore, the resulting three GNRs exhibited distinct spectroscopic properties and were able to self-assemble into side-by-side arrays driven by pi-pi intermolecular interactions of the surface metal porphyrin chromophores. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.