Boosting the optical limiting properties of helicene-containing arene to the linear analogue

Helicene-containing arene ( 5 ) and its linear analogue ( 8 ) have been successfully synthesized and characterized, where the single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis indicates that compound 5 can arrange in an offset packing style with a π-π overlap. More interestingly, the introduction of pentagon-rings into the parent skeletons in 5 and 8 can boost their stability, and molecule 5 possesses higher solubility in organic solvent than 8 . Correspondingly, such structural difference has significantly influenced the optical limiting performance. Both of them exhibit reverse saturated absorption in solution and in doped gel glass towards 532 nm laser, and compound 5 presents higher optical limiting response than 8 . This study can enrich the functionalization of helicene, which can possess a positive effect in terms of nonlinear optical property.