Synthesis and properties of an alkoxysilane dye containing three electronic donor groups for nonlinear optical applications

In order to obtain an efficient hybrid inorganic–organic nonlinear optical (NLO) materials, an azo-dye containing three electronic donor groups 2,5-dimethyl-4-(4′-nitrophenylazo)phenol (DMNPAP) was synthesized and reacted with 3-isocyanatopropyl triethoxysilane (ICTES) to give an alkoxysilane dye (ICTES–DMNPAP). Molecular structural characterizations for DMNPAP and ICTES–DMNPAP were investigated by elemental analysis, 1H NMR, FTIR, UV–visible spectra and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The alkoxysilane dye could be hydrolyzed and polymerized in the presence of water, and then transparent hybrid films could be fabricated by spin coating on the indium–tin-oxide (ITO) glass substrates. Compared with the dye 4-nitro-4′-hydroxy-azobenzene (NHA) containing only one hydroxyl as donor group, DMNPAP exhibited larger βCTμg value measured by solvatochromic method, and second harmonic generation (SHG) measurement of the hybrid films was in agreement with the result.