Two novel terpyridine-based chromophores with donor-acceptor structural model containing modified triphenylamine moiety: Synthesis, crystal structures and two-photon absorption properties

Two novel terpyridine-based chromophores with D-A (D = donor, A = acceptor) structural model containing modified triphenylamine moiety (L1 and L2) have been conveniently synthesized via formylation and reduction in satisfactory yields, and fully characterized. The single crystals of them were obtained and determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The relationships between structure and photophysical properties of the two chromophores were investigated both experimentally and theoretically. The measured maximum TPA cross-sections per molecular weight (δmax/MW) of the chromophores are 0.63 GM/(g mol) (L1) and 0.72 GM/(g mol) (L2), respectively, in DMF as a high polar solvent. The results indicate that the value of δmax/MW could be well tuned by the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), which could be realized by introducing additional electron-donor/acceptor groups.