Two-photon absorption properties of four new pentacoordinated diorganotin complexes derived from Schiff bases with fluorene

In this paper we report the synthesis and characterization of four novel pentacoordinated diorganotin complexes, obtained through a methodology that involves a multicomponent reaction of 4-([9H-fluorene-2-yl]ethynyl)-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 2-amino-5-nitrophenol and diphenyl or dibutyl-tin oxides. Diorganotin complexes 8–11 were obtained in high yields (70–80%) and were fully characterized by solution NMR (1H, 13C and 119Sn), high resolution mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF) and ATR-FTIR. The optical properties were investigated by UV/Vis spectroscopy and Two-Photon Excitation Fluorescence (TPEF). The One-Photon Absorption (OPA) spectra shows two bands located around 400 and 500 nm, additionally, in the Two-Photon Absorption (TPA) spectra there is one main band located around 750 nm characterized by maximum values of TPA cross section (σTPA) in the range 450–500 GM with a secondary band located at 1000 nm with maximum σTPA values of 70 GM; the maximum brightness was observed for 2,2-Dibutyl-6-aza-1,3-dioxa-11-([9,9-dihexyl-9H-fluorene-2-yl]ethynyl)-16-nitro-2-stanna-[d,h]dibenzocyclononene with a value of 150 GM. A theoretical approach within the framework of DFT was applied to study the electronic transitions, showing that the 500 nm band is mainly associated to a HOMO→LUMO transition, and the band at 400 nm to a HOMO-1→LUMO transition. As main highlights the quantum efficiency of fluorescence of these excited states is as large as 0.43 due to the presence of the tin atom which favors molecular rigidity, these compounds possess TPA responses which are significantly enhanced with respect to related organotin chromophores previously reported. [Display omitted] •Four novel pentacoordinated diorganotin compounds were synthesized and fully characterized.•The Two-Photon absorption spectra show a maximum of 517GM and a brightness of 150GM.•An enhancement of the two-photon absorption properties are achieved thanks to the introduction of a fluorene moiety.