DFT investigation on the effect of the permutation of some electron donating and accepting groups in the charge transfer process within 2-((E)-[2-hydroxyphenyl)imino] methyl)phenol

A series of donor-π-acceptor type compounds derived from 2-((E)-[2- hydroxyphenyl)imino] methyl)phenol have been studied herein for potential applications in nonlinear optical technologies. Their optimized structures were investigated at the M06-2X/6–311 + + G (d,p) level of theory in gas phase, whereas the electronic properties were analyzed at the M06-2X/6-311 G (d,p) level of theory in chloroform. Swapping the position of electron donating (–OH and –NH 2 ) and accepting (–CN and –NO 2 ) groups on L F and then computing the statics and dynamics polarizability, hyperpolarizability and NLO-related properties which are Electro-Optic Pockel’s Effect (EOPE), the Optical Kerr Effect (OKE) and Electric-Field-Induced SHG (EFISHG) helped to confirm that, charge transfer occurs from the donor, passes through the phenyl ring linked to the nitrogen of the imine function, to the acceptor. Theoretical results revealed that 1b and 2b have β tot values 53 and 74 times higher than that of the urea prototype at ω = 0.0 as well as 127 and 303 times at ω = 0.04282 a.u., respectively. Among the derivatives, 2b has been found to be the best suited compound for optoelectronic applications.