Supramolecular self-assembled dendritic nonlinear optical chromophores: Fine-tuning of arene-perfluoroarene interactions for ultralarge electro-optic activity and enhanced thermal stability

A new series of supramolecular self-assembled dendritic Electro Optic (EO) chromophores derived from a combination of a highly efficient, chemically stable chromophore moiety and various complementary aryl/perfluoroaryl dendrons on the periphery permitting the desired ArH-ArF interaction has been reported. Glass-transition temperatures were measured by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Dendritic NLO materials introduce other auxiliary properties, including optical transparency, chemical and photochemical stability, and compatibility in composite materials. The series of dendritic EO chromophores TED1, TED2, and TED3, capable of supramolecular self-assembly through ArH-ArF interactions was designed and synthesized based on the high-mb phenyltetraenic-type chromophore substituted with branched aryl- and pentafluorophenyl dendrons. This series of molecular glassy chromophores opens a new avenue to the achievement of ultralarge EO activity, good thermal stability, and high optical transparency through molecular engineering of dendritic chromophore structure.