Molecular quadratic nonlinear optical properties of dipolar ruthenium(II) arsine complexes

A series of complex salts in which trans-bis[1,2-phenylenebis(dimethylarsine)]chlororuthenium(II) electron donor groups are connected to pyridyl or pyridinium electron acceptors has been prepared. These chromophores exhibit intense, visible metal-to-ligand charge-transfer (MLCT) absorptions and reversible Ru(III/II) (and also in some cases ligand-based) redox processes. Stark (electroabsorption) spectroscopic studies have been used to determine dipole moment changes for the MLCT excitations. Static first hyperpolarizabilities have been calculated according to the two-state model, allowing the derivation of structure-activity correlations for the molecular quadratic nonlinear optical responses