A novel hemicyanine dye possessing donor-pi-acceptor structure that features a fixed benzimidazole ring as an electron donor and pyridinium moiety as an electron acceptor was synthesized. The structure of the hemicyanine was elucidated by means of NMR and IR spectroscopy. The dye was studied using steady-state absorption and emission spectroscopy. The analysis of experimentally recorded spectra was supported by quantum chemical calculations using density functional theory with CAM-B3LYP, LC-BLYP, LC-omega PBE and PBE0 functionals. The measurements and calculations were performed in solvents of different polarity. In particular, we found that the CAM-B3LYP and LC-omega PBE excitation energies are in very good agreement with the experimental data. Two-photon absorption of the dye was studied by Z-scan measurements. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A novel hemicyanine dye possessing donor-pi-acceptor structure that features a fixed benzimidazole ring as an electron donor and pyridinium moiety as an electron acceptor was synthesized. The structure of the hemicyanine was elucidated by means of NMR and IR spectroscopy. The dye was studied using steady-state absorption and emission spectroscopy. The analysis of experimentally recorded spectra was supported by quantum chemical calculations using density functional theory with CAM-B3LYP, LC-BLYP, LC-omega PBE and PBE0 functionals. The measurements and calculations were performed in solvents of different polarity. In particular, we found that the CAM-B3LYP and LC-omega PBE excitation energies are in very good agreement with the experimental data. Two-photon absorption of the dye was studied by Z-scan measurements. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.