Thermally stable triaryl amino chromophores with high molecular hyperpolarizabilities

The synthesis of a series of high temperature triaryl amino chromophores with unprecedented hyperpolarizability values for potential EO applications is described. 4-(N,N-di-p-anisylamino)phenyl donors are for the first time bridged to powerful acceptors such as tricyanovinyldihydrofuran via vinyl thiophene linkages. The chromophores are readily soluble in common organic solvents, exhibit useful absorptions and high thermal decomposition temperatures (highest Td=358 °C). Molecular hyperpolarizabilities (β) of the chromophores were measured by Hyper Rayleigh Scattering (HRS) at 1604 nm, which gave β values from 1000 to 20,000 × 10−30 esu. The electrochemical behavior of the chromophores were studied by cyclic voltametry, and agree well with the intrinsic nonlinearities observed. These chromophores are of particular interest due to their large optical nonlinearities, transparency in the near IR, high thermal decomposition temperatures, and their potential to be incorporated into polymeric materials.