Molecular and Supramolecular Origins of Optical Nonlinearity in N-Methylurea

Abstract

The delicate balance between solid-state intermolecular interactions and electron-donating methyl-group influences in N-methylurea (NMU) is shown to distinguish its nonlinear optical properties, relative to those of urea, a standard reference material for second harmonic generation (SHG). The solid-state intermolecular interactions in NMU are identified using neutron diffraction data, showing that hydrogen bonding generates an extensive 3D supramolecular network of NMU molecules with secondary and tertiary nonbonded contacts helping to hold this network in a closely packed form. The undulating “urea tape” motif within this network renders an overall packing arrangement that is less SHG-favorable than that of urea, which exhibits a more head-to-tail molecular alignment. The primary, secondary, and tertiary nonbonded contacts are classified using graph-sets, Hirshfeld surfaces, and fingerprint plots. H···H contacts in NMU contribute to the overall Hirshfeld surface area much more than in urea, forming at th...