Non-Linear Optical Activity of Chiral Bipyrimidine-Based Thin Films

An original series of bipyrimidine-based chromophores featuring alkoxystyryl donor groups bearing short chiral (S)-2-methylbutyl chains in positions 4, 3,4 and 3,5, connected to electron-accepting 2,2-bipyrimidine rings, has been developed. Their linear and non-linear optical properties were studied using a variety of techniques, including one- and two-photon absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence measurements, as well as Hyper-Rayleigh scattering to determine the first hyperpolarizabilities. Their electronic and geometrical properties were rationalized by TD-DFT calculations. The thermal properties of the compounds were also investigated by a combination of polarized light optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry measurements and small-angle X-ray scattering experiments. The derivatives were found not to have mesomorphic properties, but to exhibit melting temperatures or cold crystallization behavior that enabled the isolation of well-organized thin films. The nonlinear optical properties of amorphous or crystalline thin films were studied by wide-field second harmonic generation and multiphoton fluorescence imaging, confirming that non-centrosymmetric crystal organization enables strong second and third harmonic generation. This new series confirms that our strategy of functionalizing 3D organic octupoles with short chiral chains to generate non-centrosymmetric organized thin films enables the development of highly second order nonlinear optical active materials without the use of corona-poling or tedious deposition techniques.

New Multifunctional Bipyrimidine-Based Chromophores for NLO-Active Thin-Film Preparation

New synthesized bipyrimidine-based chromophores presenting alkoxystyryl donor groups carrying aliphatic achiral and chiral chains in the 4 position, connected to electron-accepting 2,2-bipyrimidine cores have been synthesized. Their linear and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties were investigated as well as their mesomorphic properties by various techniques (light-transmission measurements, polarized-light optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry measurements and two-photon excited fluorescence). The derivatives with achiral linear carbon chains were found to exhibit liquid-crystal properties with the formation smectic phases over large temperature ranges, which were confirmed by small-angle X-ray scattering analysis via stacking models. The nonlinear optical properties in the solid state for derivatives with C14 and the citronellol chains have been studied by wide-field second-harmonic generation and multi-photon fluorescence imaging, confirming centrosymmetry for these achiral mesogens and their excellent third-order nonlinearity whereas the chiral compound exhibits non-centrosymmetric organization resulting in a strong Second Harmonic Generation at the crystal state.

Micropatterning of electrochemiluminescent polymers based on multipolar Ru-complex two-photon initiators

In this work, we present an original stereolithography strategy based on multibranched Ru-complexes with a high two-photon initiating ability allowing the 'one-pot' direct laser writing of ECL-active materials deposited onto electro-active surfaces at the μm scale.

Two-Photon Absorption Cooperative Effects within Multi-Dipolar Ruthenium Complexes: The Decisive Influence of Charge Transfers

One- and two-photon characterizations of a series of hetero- and homoleptic [RuL_3-n(bpy)_n]²⁺ (n = 0, 1, 2) complexes carrying bipyridine π-extended ligands (L), have been carried out. These π-extended D−π−A−A−π−D-type ligands (L), where the electron donor units (D) are based on diphenylamine, carbazolyl, or fluorenyl units, have been designed to modulate the conjugation extension and the donating effect. Density functional theory calculations were performed in order to rationalize the observed spectra. Calculations show that the electronic structure of the π-extended ligands has a pronounced effect on the composition of HOMO and LUMO and on the metallic contribution to frontier MOs, resulting in strikingly different nonlinear properties. This work demonstrates that ILCT transitions are the keystone of one- and two-photon absorption bands in the studied systems and reveals how much MLCT and LLCT charge transfers play a decisive role on the two-photon properties of both hetero- and homoleptic ruthenium complexes through cooperative or suppressive effects.

Unexpected disruption of the dimensionality-driven two-photon absorption enhancement within a multipolar polypyridyl ruthenium complex series

The dimensionality-driven two-photon absorption (2PA) enhancement effect is investigated in a series of functionalized bipyridyl Ru-complexes. Our design strategy leads to very high 2PA responses up to ∼1500 GM. However, we highlight that the 2PA performance vs. dimensionality correlation reaches an unexpected limit stemming from 'anti-cooperative' interchromophoric couplings.

Porosity-driven large amplitude dynamics for nitroaromatic sensing with fluorescent films of alternating D-π-A molecules

We report herein the structural properties and nitroaromatic sensing performances of fluorescent thin films formed by alternating donor-acceptor π-conjugated chromophores. The incorporation of a flexible one-dimensional alkyl chain in the chromophore backbone drastically accelerates by more than one order of magnitude the sensing dynamics for the detection of 2,4-dinitrotoluene (DNT) vapors.

Modulation of emission properties of phosphine-sulfonate ligand containing copper complexes: playing with solvato-, thermo-, and mechanochromism

A series of Cuprous and Cuprate(i) complexes have been selectively obtained by addition of solvents or metal salts.