Enhancement of second hyperpolarizabilities in open-shell singlet slipped-stack dimers composed of square planar nickel complexes involving o-semiquinonato type ligands

J Phys Chem A. 2011 Feb 17;115(6):1117-24. doi: 10.1021/jp1073895. Epub 2011 Jan 19.

Abstract

Using the spin-unrestricted hybrid density functional theory method, we have investigated the intermolecular interaction effects on the longitudinal static second hyperpolarizability (γ) of open-shell singlet slipped-stack dimers composed of singlet diradical square planar nickel complexes involving o-semiquinonato type ligands, Ni(o-C(6)H(4)X(2))(2) (where X = O, NH, S, Se, PH). For comparison, we have also examined the γ values of a closed-shell singlet slipped-stack dimer composed of closed-shell monomers Ni[o-C(6)H(4)S(NH(2))](2). It is found that for interplanar distance ranging between 3.0 and 5.0 Å the slipped-stack dimers with intermediate monomer diradical characters exhibit larger γ values per monomer (γ(dimer)/2) than those with large monomer diradical characters or than the closed-shell dimer. These results extend the domain of validity of the relationship found between γ and the diradical character for individual molecules. It also turns out that the ratio R = (γ(dimer)/2)/γ(monomer) increases upon decreasing the interplanar distance and that this increase is larger for intermediate diradical character than for the other cases. These phenomena have been analyzed by considering the γ density distributions of the dimers, demonstrating a significant field-induced third-order charge transfer between the monomers in the case of intermediate diradical character. The present results indicate that open-shell singlet slipped-stack aggregates composed of monomers with intermediate diradical characters constitute another mean for achieving highly efficient and tunable third-order nonlinear optical materials.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Electrons
  • Ligands
  • Models, Molecular*
  • Molecular Structure*
  • Nickel / chemistry*
  • Quantum Theory*
  • Quinones / chemistry

Substances

  • Ligands
  • Quinones
  • Nickel