Structural characterizations, Hirshfeld surface analyses, and third-order nonlinear optical properties of two novel chalcone derivatives

Abstract

We report synthesis, characterizations, structure-property relationships, and third-order nonlinear optical studies for two new chalcone derivatives, (2E)-1-(anthracen-9-yl)-3-(4-bromophenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (Br-ANC) and (2E)-1-(anthracen-9-yl)-3-(4-chlorophenyl)prop-2-en-1-one (Cl-ANC). These derivatives were crystallized in the centrosymmetric monoclinic P21/c crystal structure. The intermolecular interactions of both the crystals were visualized by Hirshfeld surface analyses (HSA). The crystals are thermally stable up to their melting points (180.82 and 191.16 °C for Cl-ANC and Br-ANC, respectively). The geometry optimizations, FT-IR spectra, 1H and 13C NMR spectra, electronic absorption spectra, electronic transitions, and HOMO-LUMO energy gaps were studied by Density Functional Theory (DFT) at B3LYP/6-311+G(d, p) level. The theoretical results provide excellent agreement with experimental findings. The electric dipole moments, static polarizabilities, molecular electrostatic potentials (MEP) and global chemical reactivity descriptors (GCRD) were also theoretically computed. The materials exhibited good nonlinear absorption (NLA), nonlinear refraction (NLR) and optical limiting (OL) behavior under diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) continuous wave (CW) laser excitation (532 nm and 200 mW). The NLO parameters such as NLA coefficient (β∼10−5 cmW−1), NLR index (n2∼10−10 cm2 W−1) and third-order NLO susceptibilities (χ(3) ∼10−7 esu) were measured. Further, we estimated one-photon and two-photon figures of merit, which satisfy the demands (W > 1 and T < 1) for all-optical switching. Thus, the present chalcone derivatives with anthracene moiety are potential materials for OL and optical switching applications.