Design and Synthesis of Triphenylamine Based Cyano Stilbenes for Picric Acid Sensing and Two Photon Absorption Applications

Abstract Three cyanostilbene derivatives bearing a triphenylamine donor and cyano receptor are synthesized and characterized. The molecules exhibited characteristics solvatochromism. The bromo‐derivatives able to sense the explosive picric acid selectively with an excellent naked eye detection limit of 1×10 −11 M. Furthermore, the bromo‐derivative showed brilliant non‐linear optical properties.