Synthesis, characterization, thermal stability and nonlinear optical properties of push-pull chromophores containing ferrocene donor group

Two organo-metallic chalcones as second-order nonlinear optical (SONLO) material, were synthesized via Knovoenagel reactions of ferrocene carboxaldehyde and two active methylene compounds and evaluated. The ferrocenyl chalcones prepared have shown a bathochromic shift and thermal stability in polymeric films. On heating the dyes films up to 90 degrees C, the extent of degradation reaches up to 56.68 % and very small amounts of degradation were observed at 60 degrees C for 40 and 60 min. These compounds have UV-Vis bathochromic shift, enabling them to be used as Second Order Nonlinear Optical materials in the blue domain as well as dyes.