Theoretical modeling of two-photon absorption of benzoxazoles exhibiting excited state proton transfer

Abstract

Two-photon absorption spectra of 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole, 2,5-bis(2-benzoxazolyl)phenol and 2,5-bis(2-benzoxazolyl)hydroquinone are modeled by time-dependent density functional theory calculations. In contrast to the linear absorption, where the transitions to the two lowest excited states are leading, the two-photon absorption cross sections are significant for the transitions to higher states which are weak in one-photon absorption spectra. The 2,5-bis(2-benzoxazolyl)phenol and 2,5-bis(2-benzoxazolyl)hydroquinone demonstrate the maximum cross section of about ten times larger than that of 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole. The largest value of the cross section is calculated for 2,5-bis(2-benzoxazolyl)hydroquinone to be about 1500 units of Goeppert-Mayer for excitation at 600 nm.