Abstract: The synthesis of FR[2,5-dicyano-1,4-bis-(4′-fluorostyryl)benzene] with typical A-A-A conjugation structure was reported, and its structure was characterized by 1H NMR, IR and elemental analysis. One- and two-photon absorption and emission properties of bis(styryl)benzene derivatives including FR and CY[2,5-dicyano-1,4-bis-(4′-cyanostyryl)benzene] with A-A-A conjugation structure, and MO[2,5-dicyano-1,4-bis-(4′-methoxystyryl)benzene] and MA[2,5-dicyano-1,4-bis-(4′-dimethylaminostyryl)benzene] with D-A-D conjugation structure were studied by the one- and two-photon-induced fluorescence emission in femtosecond pulses, respectively. The maximum wavelengths of the one-photonabsorption and emission increased with increasing electron-donating capacity of terminal substituent groups, and compounds FR and CY of electron-accepting terminal groups displayed very high fluorescence quantum yields(0.92 and 0.89, respectively), long fluorescence lifetime(5.8 and 6.1 ns, respectively) and large two-photon absorption coefficient(19.1 and 20.5, respectively). The two-photon absorption cross sections(δ) of FR and CY(6350 GM and 6870 GM, respectively) with strongly electron-accepting terminal groups were much larger than those of MO and MA(270 GM and 1790 GM, respectively) with electron-donating terminal groups. The result indicates that bis(styryl)benzene derivatives with A-A-A conjugation structure exhibit a considerably large δ.

Key words: Two-photon absorption, Bis(styryl)benzene derivative, A-A-A conjugation structure, Two-photon absorption cross section