The absolute configuration of a chiral compound is determined by (i) coordinating the chiral compound to a metalloporphyrin having a carbon chain-crosslinked porphyrin dimer structure in which one of the two porphyrin rings has at least one ethyl or substituent bulkier than ethyl at at least one of the second peripheral carbon atoms from the carbon atom at the carbon chain crosslink site, and (ii) analyzing the resultant coordination compound by circular dichroism spectrophotometry to determine the absolute configuration of the asymmetric carbon based on the sign of the Cotton effect. The chiral compound has an asymmetric carbon bonded to a basic group capable of coordinating to the metal of the other porphyrin ring of the metalloporphyrin dimer or an asymmetric carbon atom adjacent to the carbon atom bonded to the basic group.