Nonlinear Optical Materials for the Smart Filtering of Optical Radiation.

The control of luminous radiation has extremely important implications for modern and future technologies as well as in medicine. In this Review, we detail chemical structures and their relevant photophysical features for various groups of materials, including organic dyes such as metalloporphyrins and metallophthalocyanines (and derivatives), other common organic materials, mixed metal complexes and clusters, fullerenes, dendrimeric nanocomposites, polymeric materials (organic and/or inorganic), inorganic semiconductors, and other nanoscopic materials, utilized or potentially useful for the realization of devices able to filter in a smart way an external radiation. The concept of smart is referred to the characteristic of those materials that are capable to filter the radiation in a dynamic way without the need of an ancillary system for the activation of the required transmission change. In particular, this Review gives emphasis to the nonlinear optical properties of photoactive materials for the function of optical power limiting. All known mechanisms of optical limiting have been analyzed and discussed for the different types of materials.

Glycosylated Metal Phthalocyanines.

In the first part; the syntheses of mono-; di-; and tetra-glycosylated phthalonitriles is described; which are the most used starting materials for the preparation of the corresponding glycosylated metal (mostly zinc) phthalocyanines. In the second section; the preparation of symmetric and unsymmetric mono-; tetra-; and octa- glycosylated zinc phthalocyanines are reviewed; in which the sugar is attached to the phthalocyanine macrocycle; either anomerically or via another one of its OH-groups.

Synthesis and Spectroscopic Evaluation of Two Novel Glycosylated Zinc(II)-Phthalocyanines.

In continuation of our work on glycoconjugated phthalocyanines, two new water soluble, non-ionic zinc(II) phthalocyanines have been prepared and fully characterized by means of ¹H-NMR, 13C-NMR, MALDI-TOF, ESI-TOF, UV-Vis spectroscopy, emission spectroscopy and fluorescence lifetime measurements. The carbohydrate-containing phthalonitrile precursors were synthesized through a copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). The 2-methoxyethoxymethyl protecting group (MEM) was used to protect the carbohydrate moieties. It resisted the harsh basic cyclotetramerization conditions and could be easily cleaved under mild acidic conditions. The glycoconjugated zinc(II) phthalocyanines described here have molar extinction coefficents εmax>105 m(-1) cm(-1) and absorption maxima λ>680 nm, which make them attractive photosensitizers for photo-dynamic therapy.

Synthesis of acetylene bridged germanium phthalocyanines.

The octaalkyl- or octaalkoxysubstituted phthalocyaninatogermanium dichlorides 10b,d,e and 10a-c were reacted with bisbromomagnesiumacetylene 16 and bisbromomagnesium-p-diethynylbenzene 18, respectively with formation of the corresponding acetylene bridged oligomers 17a-c and 19a-c, respectively.

Spectral, photophysical and photochemical properties of tetra- and octaglycosylated zinc phthalocyanines.

Photophysical and photochemical properties of a series of tetra- and octaglycosylated zinc phthalocyanines (ZnPcs) substituted with glucose and galactose moieties have been reported. Spectral properties of these phthalocyanines are compared in DMSO. Absorption spectra of the non-peripherally tetra-substituted ZnPcs 2 showed a significant red shift in their Q-band maxima as compared to the peripherally substituted analog 1. All the complexes gave high triplet quantum yields ranging from 0.68 to 0.88, whereas triplet lifetimes were in the range of 100-430 µs in argon-saturated solutions. The octagalactosylated ZnPc 3b showed the highest triplet quantum yield and singlet oxygen quantum yield of 0.88 and 0.69, respectively. The fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes of all the compounds under investigation were within the range of zinc phthalocyanine complexes.

Optical imaging of excited-state tautomerization in single molecules.

Tautomerism process of single fluorescent molecules was studied by means of confocal microscopy in combination with azimuthally or radially polarized laser beams. During a tautomerism process the transition dipole moment (TDM) of a molecule changes its orientation which can be visualized by the fluorescence excitation image of the molecule. We present experimental and theoretical studies of two porphyrazine-type molecules and one type of porphyrin molecule: a symmetrically substituted metal-free phthalocyanine and porphyrin, and nonsymmetrically substituted porphyrazine. In the case of phthalocyanine the fluorescence excitation patterns show that the angle between the transition dipole moments of the two tautomeric forms is near 90°, in agreement with quantum chemical calculations. For porphyrazine we find that the orientation change of the TDM is less than 60° or larger than 120°, as theoretically predicted. Most of the porphyrin molecules show no photoinduced tautomerization, while for 7% of the total number of investigated molecules we observed excitation patterns of two different trans forms of the same single molecule. We demonstrate for the first time that a molecule, undergoing a tautomerism process stays in one tautomeric trans conformation during a time comparable with the acquisition time of one excitation pattern. This allowed us to visualize the existence of each of the two trans forms of one single porphyrin molecule, as well as the sudden switching between these tautomers.

Tetrabrominated lead naphthalocyanine for optical power limiting.

The complex 2,(3)-tetrabromo-3,(2)-tetra[(3,5-di-tert-butyl)phenyloxy]-naphthalocyaninato lead [Br(4)(tBu(2)C(6)H(3)O)(4)NcPb, 1] has been prepared and its optical limiting properties for ns light pulses have been measured. Complex 1 behaves as a reverse saturable absorber within the spectral range 440-720 nm with a limiting threshold of 0.1 J cm(-2) at 532 nm. The lifetime of the absorbing triplet excited state has been evaluated as 3.8 x 10(-7) s and the quantum yield of triplet formation has been measured as 0.07 in toluene. The nonlinear optical transmission properties of complex 1 have also been determined in Plexiglas [naphthalocyanine content: 5.0 x 10(-4) M (0.1% by weight)]. A reversible nonlinear absorption was again observed for a fluence above 0.4 J cm(-2), but through different excited-state dynamics. This may be rationalized in terms of aggregation of the molecule in the polymer matrix.

Spatial control of 3D energy transfer in supramolecular nanostructured host-guest architectures.

Systematic control of 3D energy transfer (ET) dynamics is achieved in supramolecular nanostructured host-guest systems using spacer-functionalized guest chromophores. Quantum chemistry-based Monte Carlo simulations reveal the strong impact of the spacer length on the ET dynamics, efficiency, and dimensionality. Remarkably high exciton diffusion lengths demonstrate that there is ample scope for optimizing oligomeric or polymeric optoelectronic devices.

Indium phthalocyanines with different axial ligands: a study of the influence of the structure on the photophysics and optical limiting properties.

The photophysical properties of four axially substituted indium phthalocyanines, namely, 2,(3)-tetra- tert-butyl-phthalocyaninato indium chloride ( 1), 2,(3)-tetra-[(3,5-di- tert-butyl)-phenyloxy]-phthalocyaninato indium bromide ( 2), 2,(3)-tetra-[(3,5-di- tert-butyl)-phenyloxy]-phthalocyaninato indium iodide ( 3), and 2,3-octa-[(2-hexyl)-ethyloxy]-phthalocyaninato indium trifluoroacetate ( 4), have been investigated, and their optical limiting properties with nanosecond light pulses were evaluated. All complexes behave as reverse saturable absorbers in the range of 400-625 nm due to a triplet-triplet excited-state transition. Excited-state absorption cross sections and triplet state lifetimes are not significantly affected by the nature of the axial ligand. On the other hand, remarkable differences in the variation of nonlinear transmittance are observed for 1- 4 due to significantly different intersystem crossing rates. Heavier axial ligands in phthalocyanines 2 and 3 produce the largest variations of nonlinear transmission (heavy-atom effect). Complex 1 in polystyrene matrix shows reversible nonlinear absorption when incident fluence does not exceed 0.025 J cm (-2).

Large two-photon absorption cross sections of hemiporphyrazines in the excited state: the multiphoton absorption process of hemiporphyrazines with different central metals.

A series of five hemiporphyrazines (Hps) with different coordinating central atoms (H2, GeCl2, InCl, Pt, Pb), and the acyclic derivative 1,3-bis-(6'-amino-4'-butoxy-2'-pyridylimino)-1,3-dihydroisoindoline have been synthesized and their multiphoton absorption properties examined at the second harmonic frequency of the Nd:YAG laser in the nanosecond time regime. Metal-free and platinum Hps display saturation of optical transmittance within incident fluence values of 6 J cm(-2). Comparison with other similar molecular structures like phthalocyanines and related molecules shows that Hps are strong nonlinear absorbers. The experimental curves of nonlinear transmission at 532 nm have been fitted by means of a three-level model with the occurrence of simultaneous two-photon absorption from an excited state. In the sole case of the InCl complex we found that a five-level model is needed because of the participation of triplet states. Contrary to phthalocyanines, naphthalocyanines, and porphyrins, a heavy central atom does not improve the nonlinear absorption properties since a different excited states dynamic is involved. The large nonlinear absorption of Hps combined with the very small absorption in the visible spectral range makes these molecules a very interesting class of molecules for nonlinear optical applications.

Photophysics and nonlinear optical properties of tetra- and octabrominated silicon naphthalocyanines.

The effect of the number of bromide substituents on the photophysical and nonlinear optical properties of the tetrabrominated naphthalocyanine Br4(tBu2PhO)4NcSi[OSi(Hex)3]2 (1) and the octabrominated naphthalocyanine Br8NcSi[OSi(Hex)3]2 (2) has been investigated through various spectroscopic techniques. Absorption and emission of 1 and 2 have been studied at room temperature and 77 K to determine the spectral properties of the ground and the excited states and the lifetimes and quantum yields of formation of the excited states. There is a moderate increase of the quantum yield of the triplet excited-state formation (PhiT = 0.10 vs 0.13) and a decrease of the triplet excited-state lifetime (tauT approximately 70 vs 50 mus) from 1 to 2. These can be attributed to the stronger heavy atom effect produced by the larger number of peripheral bromide substituents in 2 considering that an excited state with a triplet manifold is involved in the excitation dynamics of both complexes 1 and 2. The quantum yields of the singlet oxygen formation (PhiDelta) upon irradiation of 1 and 2 at 355 nm were also evaluated, and a value of PhiDelta(1) = PhiDelta(2) = 0.16 was obtained. In addition to that, octabrominated complex 2 displays a larger decrease of nonlinear optical transmission for nanosecond pulses at 532 nm with respect to the tetrabrominated complex 1. The nanosecond Z-scan experiments reveal that 1 and 2 exhibit both a reverse saturable absorption and a nonlinear refraction at 532 nm. However, both the sign and the magnitude of the nonlinear refraction change from 1 to 2. For picosecond Z-scan in the visible spectral region, these two complexes exhibit only reverse saturable absorption, and the excited-state absorption cross-section increases at longer wavelengths.

Three-dimensional energy transport in highly luminescent host-guest crystals: a quantitative experimental and theoretical study.

We present a combined experimental and theoretical study on energy transfer processes in a well-defined three-dimensional host-guest system, which allows for high chromophore concentrations while maintaining the highly luminescent properties of the molecules in solution. The self-assembled, nanostructured system with a defined ratio of included donor and acceptor molecules is amenable to quantitative comparison between experiment and theory. Experimentally, energy migration is monitored by steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. From the theoretical side, the energy transfer process is modeled by a Monte Carlo approach including homo and hetero transfer steps with multi-acceptor distribution. In this dense system, the classical Förster point-dipole approach for energy transfer breaks down, and the hopping rates are therefore calculated on the basis of a quantum-chemical description of the donor and acceptor excited states. Thereby, the true directionality of the excitation diffusion is revealed. Excellent agreement with experimental donor and acceptor decays and overall transfer efficiencies is found. Even at low acceptor concentrations (down to 0.1%), efficient energy transfer over distances as large as 25 nm was observed due to rapid energy migration through a series of homo-transfer steps with preference along one direction of the structure.

Axial halogen ligand effect on photophysics and optical power limiting of some indium naphthalocyanines.

Three axially substituted complexes, 2,3-octa(3,5-di-tert-butylphenoxy)-2,3-naphthalocyaninato indium chloride (1a), 2,3-octa(3,5-di-tert-butylphenoxy)-2,3-naphthalocyaninato indium bromide (1b), and 2,3-octa(3,5-di-tert-butylphenoxy)-2,3-naphthalocyaninato indium iodide (1c) have been synthesized and their photophysical properties have been investigated. Optical power limiting of nanosecond (ns) and picosecond (ps) laser pulses at 532 nm using these complexes has been demonstrated. All complexes display strong Q(0,0) absorption and measurable emission in the near-infrared region and exhibit strong excited-state absorption in the range of 470-700 nm upon ns laser excitation. The different axial ligands show negligible effect on the linear absorption, emission, and transient difference absorption spectra. However, the excited-state lifetime, triplet excited-state quantum yield, and efficiency to generate singlet oxygen are affected significantly by the heavier axial ligand. Brominated and iodinated complexes 1b and 1c show higher triplet excited-state quantum yield, while chlorinated complex 1a has longer excited-state lifetime and is more efficient in generating singlet oxygen. The iodinated complex 1c displayed the best optical limiting due to the higher ratio of excited-state absorption cross section to ground state absorption cross section (sigma(eff)/sigma(0)).

Reactivity of dehydrometallophthalocyanines and -porphyrazines.

The zinc dehydrophthalocyanine 2 and zinc dehydrobenzoporhyrazine 8 a were generated from the 1N-aminobenzotriazole-annulated zinc phtalocyanine 1 and zinc benzoporhyrazine 8, respectively, by oxidation with Pb(OAc)(4) in different solvents, for example, diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, acetic acid, and benzene. The reactivity of 2 and 8 a was studied in detail. These species not only easily undergo Diels-Alder additions with dienes, but also the used solvents can be added. Among the addition products with solvents ethoxy-, acetoxy-, acetoxybutyloxy-substituted and barrelen-fused phthalocyanines and benzoporpyrazines were isolated. No products resulting from the dimerization of two dehydro species were observed either for 2 or 8 a. Analysis of the reaction products in comparison with those obtained by oxidation of 1-aminobenzotriazole 15 under similar conditions proves a higher reactivity (electrophilicity) of the dehydro-PcZn 2 and dehydro-PzZn 8 a in comparison with unsubstituted benzyne towards the solvents used, such as diethyl ether and benzene.

A new glycosidation method through nitrite displacement on substituted nitrobenzenes.

Benzyl, benzoyl, and acetyl protected 1-OH and 1-SH glycoses in the glucose, glucosamine, galactose, mannose, and lactose series react with nitrobenzenes activated by one or two electron withdrawing substituents like nitro and cyano to afford the corresponding aryl glycosides in 50-100% yield. The S(N)Ar displacement of nitrite by 1-OH glycoses is reversible and gives predominantly the alpha-glycosides, whereas 1-SH glycoses do not anomerize and afford the beta-glycosides. Thus, the prepared dicyanophenyl gycosides are useful building blocks for the preparation of phthalocyanine-glycoconjugates via template synthesis.

Nonlinear transmission of a tetrabrominated naphthalocyaninato indium chloride.

The axially substituted complex chloro indium(III) 2-tetrabromo-3-tetra-(3,5-di-tert-butylphenyloxy)naphthalocyanine [Br4(tBu2PhO)4NcInCl (1); MW = 1996] has been synthesized for the first time, and its nonlinear transmission properties have been evaluated with the Z-scan technique in both open and closed aperture configurations at 532 nm for nanosecond pulsed radiation. The tetrabrominated complex 1 displayed a larger positive nonlinear absorption coefficient when compared to an analogous nonbrominated naphthalocyanine [(tBu2PhO)8NcInCl (2); MW = 2498]. The effect of the four Br atoms on the nonlinear optical behavior of 1 is evaluated, discussed, and compared with the nonlinear optical behavior of 2. It is shown that the bromination of the naphthalocyanine ring considerably improves the limiting properties of such a system when high-intensity radiations are produced by nanosecond laser pulses at 532 nm.

Demonstration of the optical limiting effect for an hemiporphyrazine.

The hemiporphyrazine complex 9,22-bis(dibutoxy)hemiporphyrazinato chloroindium(III) (1) is one of the few examples for this class of compounds, which displays the nonlinear optical effect of reverse saturable absorption for nanosecond laser pulses in the visible spectrum. The high linear transmission combined with the fast switching into a strongly absorbing excited state in the same spectral range (400-650 nm), renders the studied hemiporphyrazine an ideal material for the passive shuttering of pulsed radiations.

Synthesis, DFT calculations, linear and nonlinear optical properties of binuclear phthalocyanine gallium chloride.

The axially substituted binuclear GaCl/GaCl phthalocyanine 1 with an unsymmetrical pattern of substitution has been prepared and its nonlinear optical (NLO) properties determined. The resulting binuclear complex retains approximately the same transition energies of monomeric (RO)8PcGaCl as far as the linear optical spectrum is concerned, although 1 has a double concentration of central atoms per molecule and an enlarged conjugated ligand. The lack of significant spectral shifts in passing from mononuclear to binuclear complexes has been rationalized theoretically by means of density functional theory calculations. The purpose of the present study is to determine whether binuclearity affects the optical limiting behavior of 1 with respect to monomeric (RO)8PcGaCl in the NLO regime determined by nanosecond laser pulses.

Axially modified gallium phthalocyanines and naphthalocyanines for optical limiting.

Phthalocyanines (Pcs) offer a high architectural flexibility in structure, which facilitates the tailoring of their physical, optoelectronic and chemical parameters over a very broad range. This tutorial review describes the recent advances in the synthesis of soluble axially substituted or bridged gallium phthalo- and naphthalocyanine compounds, and their photophysical and nonlinear optical properties. The exploitation of the chemical reactivity of the Ga-Cl bond can allow the preparation of a series of highly soluble axially substituted and bridged Pc complexes. Axial substituents in Pcs influence favourably nonlinear optical absorption for the presence of a dipole moment perpendicular to the macrocycle in the axially substituted phthalocyanines. All Z-scans performed exhibit a decrease of transmittance about the focus typical of an induced positive nonlinear absorption of incident light. Substitution and dimerization of the phthalocyanine monomer resulted in significant reductions in the saturation energy density of the material displaying clear evidence of the usefulness of structurally modifying the gallium phthalocyanine unit. Similar to indium phthalocyanines, gallium phthalocyanines are also among the most promising materials that have been investigated as limiters of intense light and the current series presents a selection of structural modifications useful for varying their nonlinear optical properties.

First generation and trapping of a dehydrometallophthalocyanine starting from triazole-functionalized zinc phthalocyanine.

Direct 1N-amination of the triazole-fused zinc phthalocyanine 2 and oxidation of the formed amino derivative 3 resulted in the generation of the very reactive intermediate, the dehydrometallophthalocyanine 4, which was not known previously. The latter was trapped in situ with different dienes, for example, furan, tetraphenylcyclopentadienone, and anthracene to form the corresponding Diels-Alder adducts. The products were characterized by 1H and 13C-dept135 NMR, and UV/Vis spectroscopy, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis, which are fully in agreement with their structure. The developed synthetic procedure opens a simple and versatile pathway towards unsymmetrical peripheral modification of phthalocyanines, which is readily applicable to the micromol scale and is important for the design of new interesting Pc-based systems.