Second-order nonlinear optics in coordination chemistry: An open door towards multi-functional materials and molecular switches

Various inorganic and organometallic complexes exhibiting quadratic nonlinear optical (NLO) properties (i.e., linearly correlated to the square of the electric field E-2) are reviewed. The computational approaches available for the calculation at various levels (either semi-empirical (ZINDO) or density functional theory (DFT)), and analysis of the NLO response are recalled. Metal-containing species usually offer architectures and NLO responses of greater versatility than those of the well-known push-pull organic chromophores. Their additional (e.g., magnetic) electronic abilities, open up access to multi-property molecular materials, an intriguing class of materials, which are presented and discussed here, in a perspective of molecular switch. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.