Effect of solvent on two-photon absorption by vinyl benzene derivatives

Two-photon absorption cross sections and spectral profiles were determined for three centrosymmetric vinyl benzenes in solvents of differing polarity and polarizability. The data do not correlate with parameters that characterize dielectric properties of the solvents. Rather, the effect of solvent depends on the solute, and even subtle structural changes in the latter can result in pronounced solvent-dependent differences in the absorption cross section. Our data highlight the need for more sophisticated models that can simulate the perturbing effects of a solvent in the two-photon process.