Theoretical studies on two-dimensional nonlinear optical chromophores with pyrazinyl cores and organic or ruthenium(II) ammine electron donors.

Density functional theory calculations have been carried out on twelve cationic, 2D nonlinear optical chromophores with pyrazinylbis(pyridinium) electron acceptors. These species contain either 4-(methoxy/dimethylamino)phenyl or pyridyl-coordinated {Ru(II)(NH3)5}(2+)/trans-{Ru(II)(NH3)4(py)}(2+) (py = pyridine) electron donor groups. The results are compared with data obtained by using experimental techniques including hyper-Rayleigh scattering and Stark (electroabsorption) spectroscopy previously (Coe, B. J.; et al. Inorg. Chem. 2010, 49, 10718; J. Org. Chem. 2010, 75, 8550). The B3LYP/6-311G(d) level of theory models the visible absorption spectra in MeCN for the -NMe2 derivatives relatively well, whereas CAM-B3LYP/6-311G(d) gives better results for the -OMe-substituted species. These spectra are dominated by intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) bands. Static first hyperpolarizabilities β0 are computed also at the B3LYP/6-311G(d) level. The overall extent of prediction of trends in the ICT bands and β0 responses is partial, with the main discrepancies relating to the progression from one to two electron donor groups. The experimental data show that this structural change red-shifts the ICT bands and increases β0 significantly, but only the second trend is reproduced to some extent by the calculations. The UV-vis absorption spectra of the Ru complexes in MeCN are modeled relatively well with B3LYP and the LANL2DZ/6-311G(d) mixed basis set, including 100 excited states. However, again, some degree of disagreement between theory and experiment is evident, even when a larger basis set like def2-TZVP is used for Ru. In particular, substantial red shifts are predicted on adding a third metal center, whereas the measured spectra show corresponding small blue shifts. The experimental trend of the total β0 value increasing on moving from one to two Ru centers is predicted in the gas phase, but not in MeCN. For both classes of chromophore, the β(xxx) tensor component dominates in the asymmetric species, whereas β(xxy) is the largest component for their 2-fold symmetric counterparts.