Synthesis, crystal growth, structural, spectral, optical, thermal and dielectric studies of a new nonlinear optical material: 4-Hydroxy-l-proline-l-tartaric acid (1:1)

Abstract

Single crystals of a new organic material, 4-hydroxy-l-proline-l-tartaric acid (HPTA) adduct, were grown by slow evaporation of an aqueous solution containing equimolar concentrations of 4-hydroxy-l-proline and l-tartaric acid at room temperature. Formation of new crystal has been confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction and NMR spectroscopic techniques. The single crystal XRD analysis shows that a molecule of 4-hydroxy-l-proline and a molecule of free l-tartaric acid both of which are interlinked to each other by two types of H-bonding interactions, namely O(6)–H(6)⋯O(2) and N(1)–H(1B)⋯O(10). The title compound (HPTA) crystallizes in monoclinic crystal system with non-centrosymmetric space group P21. The suitability of the crystal for optical applications was studied by UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopy. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectral analysis was used to confirm the presence of various functional groups in the grown crystals. The thermal stability of the compound was investigated by thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of the crystal were studied as a function of frequency and temperature. The fluorescence spectral analysis of the title crystal shows an indigo emission. The second order nonlinear optical (NLO) property of the crystal was confirmed by the modified Kurtz–Perry powder second harmonic generation (SHG) test.