Organic compounds
exhibit significant nonlinear optical (NLO) properties
and can be utilized in various areas like optical parameters, fiber
optics, and optical communication. Herein, a series of chromophores
(DBTD1–DBTD6) with an A−π1–D1–π2–D2 framework was derived from a prepared compound (DBTR) by varying the structure of π-spacer and terminal acceptor.
The DBTR and its investigated compounds were optimized
at the M06/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. Frontier molecular orbitals
(FMOs), nonlinear optical (NLO) properties, global reactivity parameters
(GRPs), natural bonding orbital (NBO), transition density matrix (TDM),
molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), and natural population analysis
(NPA) were accomplished at the abovementioned level to describe the
NLO findings. DBTD6 has the lowermost band gap (2.131
eV) among all of the derived compounds. The decreasing order of highest
occupied molecular orbital–lowest unoccupied molecular orbital
(HOMO–LUMO) energy gap values was DBTR > DBTD1 > DBTD2 > DBTD3 > DBTD4 > DBTD5 > DBTD6. The
NBO analysis was
carried out to describe noncovalent interactions such as conjugative
interactions and electron delocalization. From all of the examined
substances, DBTD5 showed the highest λmax value at 593.425 nm (in the gaseous phase) and 630.578 nm (in chloroform
solvent). Moreover, the βtot and ⟨γ⟩
amplitudes of DBTD5 were noticed to be relatively greater
at 1.140 × 10–27 and 1.331 × 10–32 esu, respectively. So, these outcomes disclosed that DBTD5 depicted the highest linear and nonlinear properties in comparison
to the other designed compounds, which underlines that it could make
a significant contribution to hi-tech NLO devices.