Imidazole as a central π-linkage in Y-shaped push-pull chromophores

Twelve imidazole based Y-shaped push-pull chromophores have been designed, synthesised and fully characterised featuring 4,5-bis(N,N-dimethylanilino)imidazole as a donor moiety, a systematically enlarged pi-linker and nitro and cyano groups as acceptors. The synthesised push-pull systems have been studied by electrochemistry, UV/Vis and IR spectroscopy and nonlinear optical properties have been calculated. Moreover, quantitative relationships between the measured and calculated properties and the structural features have also been evaluated. Electrochemical and spectral properties have mainly been affected by the presence of strongly conjugating acceptors, large pi-linkers and the spatial arrangement of the chromophore. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.