A novel l-arginine salt nonlinear optical crystal: l-arginine p-nitrobenzoate monohydrate (LANB)

• A novel l-arginine salt nonlinear optical crystal LANB has been synthesized.
• The crystal belongs to the monoclinic system with space group P21.
• Single crystal with good transparent and size up to 15 × 8 × 2 mm3 was obtained by slow cooling technique.
• The conformations of l-arginine in LANB and LATF are similar as an extended state.
• The SHG efficiency is confirmed by the emission of green light (532 nm) and about 4 times that of KDP standard.

A novel l-arginine salt nonlinear optical single crystal, l-arginine p-nitrobenzoate monohydrate (LANB) has been grown by slow cooling method from aqueous solution. Its solubility at different temperatures in water was measured. The grown crystal was characterized by the elemental analyses, X-ray single crystal and powder diffractions, Fourier transform infrared and Raman spectra. The structure analysis revealed that LANB belongs to the monoclinic crystallographic system, space group P21, with unit cell parameters: a = 8.566(3), b = 5.817(2), c = 17.131(7) Å, β = 101.223(5)°, Z = 2 and V = 837.2(6) Å3. The proton and carbon configurations of l-arginine were confirmed through 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra analyses. The linear and nonlinear optical properties of LANB crystal were studied by the use of transmission spectrum and second harmonic generation (SHG). The thermal properties were investigated by using thermo gravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analysis (DTA).