3,5‐Bis{3‐[4‐(dimethylamino)phenyl]prop‐2‐enylidene}‐1‐methyl‐4‐piperidone and 3,5‐bis[3‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)prop‐2‐enylidene]‐1‐methyl‐4‐piperidone: potential biophotonic materials

The structures of the title compounds, C₂₈H₃₃N₃O, (I), and C₂₆H₂₇NO₃, (II), together with their two‐photon absorption properties and fluorescence activities are reported. Molecules of (II) reside on crystallographic mirror planes containing the piperidone C=O group and N‐methyl H atoms. Because of the conjugation between the donor and acceptor parts, the central heterocycle in both (I) and (II) exhibits a flattened boat conformation, with deviations of the N atom and the opposite C atom from the planar fragment. The dihedral angles between the coplanar heterocyclic atoms and terminal C₆ rings are less than 20° in both (I) and (II). In (I), the N‐methyl group of the ring occupies an equatorial position, but in (II) it is positioned in an axial site. In the crystal structure of (I), weak intermolecular C—H...π(arene) and C—H...O steric contacts link the molecules along the a axis. In the crystal structure of (II), molecules form stacks along the b axis.