Effect of pyrrole substitution on the optical limiting properties of 3,5-distyrylBODIPYdyes

Abstract

The optical limiting properties of three meso-pyridyl-distyrylBODIPY dyes with differing alkyl substitution patterns at the 2,6- and 1,7-positions on the pyrrole moieties are investigated. Styryl groups are introduced at the 3,5-positions to form dyes with strong donor-[Formula: see text]-acceptor (D-[Formula: see text]-A) properties. Favorable optical limiting properties are obtained for all three dyes, with the highest second-order hyperpolarizability obtained for a dye that is unsubstituted at both the 2,6- and 1,7-positions suggesting that the optical limiting properties are enhanced when the meso-aryl ring can freely rotate into the plane of the BODIPY core.