Facile Synthesis of Helicene-Containing Arenes for Optical Limiting Devices.

A helicene-containing arene and its linear analogue have been successfully synthesized and characterized, where the single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis indicates that the former can arrange in an offset packing style with a π-π overlap. The introduction of pentagon-rings into the parent skeletons in the resulting compounds can boost the stability, and such helicene-containing molecule possesses higher solubility in organic solvent than the linear analogue. The structural difference has significantly influenced the optical limiting performance. The former in solution and in doped gel glass presents higher optical limiting response towards 532 nm laser than the latter. This study can enrich the functionalization of helicene, which can possess a positive effect in terms of nonlinear optical property.