Molecular Nonlinear Optical Properties of Acceptors Substituted 2,2′‐Bipyridine and 1,10‐Phenathroline Complexes of Nickel Dithiolate

Linear and nonlinear optical properties of two new nickel(diimine)(dithiolate) complexes, nickel(4,4′‐dinitro2,2′‐bipyridyl)(tfd), Ni(NO₂bipy)(tfd) , (tfd = 1,2‐trifluoromethylethene‐1,2‐dithiolate) and nickel(4,7‐diphenyl‐1,10‐phenathroline)(tfd), Ni(dpphen)(tfd) are reported. Ni(NO₂bipy)(tfd) has a potent electronic acceptor substituted on the diimine ligand and exhibits an enhanced molecular first hyperpolarizability (β₀ = ?31 × 10^?30 esu), which is more than three times greater than that (β₀ = ?10 × 10^?30 esu) of Ni(dpphen)(tfd). Ni(NO₂bipy)(tfd) also possesses the longest absorption wavelength, the largest solvatochromic shift, and one of the largest dipole moment changes (‐16 debye from ground to excited state) among nickel(diimine)(dithiolate) complexes. Crystal X‐ray structure of Ni(NO₂bipy)(tfd) is used to compared the π‐bonding structure of central (N=C‐C=N)Ni(S‐C=C‐S) unit with that of previously known nickel(4,4′‐bis(butyloxycarbonyl)‐2,2′‐bipyridyl)(tfd), Ni(CO₂Bubipy)(tfd).