Boosting the optical limiting properties of helicene-containing arene to the linear analogue

Abstract

Helicene-containing arene (5) and its linear analogue (8) have been successfully synthesized and characterized, where the single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis indicates that compound 5 can arrange in an offset packing style with a π-π overlap. More interestingly, the introduction of pentagon-rings into the parent skeletons in 5 and 8 can boost their stability, and molecule 5 possesses higher solubility in organic solvent than 8. Correspondingly, such structural difference has significantly influenced the optical limiting performance. Both of them exhibit reverse saturated absorption in solution and in doped gel glass towards 532 nm laser, and compound 5 presents higher optical limiting response than 8. This study can enrich the functionalization of helicene, which can possess a positive effect in terms of nonlinear optical property.