Variable Asymmetric Chains in Transition Metal Oxyfluorides: Structure-Second-Harmonic-Generation Property Relationships

Four novel transition metal oxyfluorides, [Zn(pz)3][MoO2F4]·0.1H2O (1), [Zn(pz)2F2][Zn(pz)3]2[WO2F4]2 (2), [Cd(pz)4][Cd(pz)4(H2O)][MoO2F4]2·0.625H2O (3), and [Zn(mpz)3]2[MoO2F4]2 (4) (pz = pyrazole; mpz = 3-methyl pyrazole) have been synthesized. Compounds 1 and 4 contain helical chains. Compound 2 accommodates zigzag chains, and compound 3 has quasi-one-dimensional linear chains. The variable chain structures are found to be attributable to the different structure-directing anionic groups and hydrogen bonding interactions. Compound 4 crystallized in the noncentrosymmetric (NCS) polar space group, Pna21, is nonphase-matchable (Type I), and reveals a moderate second-harmonic-generation (SHG) efficiency (10 × α-SiO2). The observed SHG efficiency of compound 4 is due to the small net polarization occurring from the arrangement of ZnN3F2 trigonal bipyramids. Spectroscopic and thermal characterizations along with calculations for the title materials are reported.