Optical, electrochemical and current−voltage characteristics of novel coumarin based 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone derivatives

A series of novel 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone derivatives of coumarins (DNP1−DNP3) have been synthesized by novel method and characterized by spectroscopic techniques and were used as photosensitizers on zinc nanocones, which were prepared by microwave combustion method. Optical (linear and nonlinear), electrochemical and current−voltage (I–V) characteristics of dyes and dyes sensitized zinc nanocones were evaluated. In addition, the global chemical parameters were calculated. The results revealed that, synthesized dyes possess good light absorbing capability and well matched frontier molecular orbital (FMO) energy levels with conduction band (CB) of zinc nanocones. Among the synthesized coumarin derivatives, DNP3 has smallest band gap of 2.24 eV, highest ɛ value of 1, 00,000 M−1cm−1, larger NLA coefficient of 0.055 (cmW−1), least hardness value of 0.78 eV and highest Voc value of 0.98 V. Moreover, it exhibits better optical power limiting behavior. The enhanced I–V response of the sensitized nanocones in presence of light implies that the synthesized dyes are good photosensitizers. [Display omitted] •Novel coumarin dyes were synthesized via facile novel approach and having higher molar absorption coefficient (ɛ) values.•Zinc nanocones were prepared by microwave combustion method.•Novel dyes showed better third order NLO behavior.•DFT calculations for FMO analysis and global chemical descriptors for donor − acceptor properties of the dye molecules.•Dye sensitized nanocones showed better photoresponse under illumination.