Triphenylamine-based allylidenemalononitrile chromophores: synthesis, and photophysical and second-order nonlinear optical properties

Abstract

A series of chromophores based on a mono-, di- or tri-substituted triphenylamine core and allylidenemalononitrile fragments has been designed. The linear and second order nonlinear optical properties as well as thermal stability of the chromophores have been studied experimentally. Structure–property relationships, in terms of the branching effect on the triphenylamine core and the influence of the aniline/coumarin part on the photophysical properties and NLO response, have been highlighted. The experimental results have been rationalized by theoretical calculations.