π-Conjugation enlargement toward the creation of multi-porphyrinic systems with large two-photon absorption properties

Recent progress in the synthesis of covalently linked porphyrin arrays with large two-Photon absorption (TPA) cross-section values has been reviewed with a particular focus on the relation of TPA properties with molecular structures. Covalently linked porphyrin arrays continue to be important and useful for the creation of functional materials owing to their chemical robustness, fine-tuning, and easy manipulation. More importantly, the porphyrin electronic systems are quite susceptible to periphery conjugative perturbations, hence allowing facile fabrications to extensively delocalized systems. This property has been used for exploration of porphyrin-based molecular systems with large TPA values, demonstrating a general trend that enhancement in electronic interactions leads to large TPA cross-section values. As a representative example, the porphyrin tapes exhibit larger TPA values owing to the fully delocalized nature of the π-electrons. This Focus Review will help understand the structural requirements of porphyrin arrays with large TPA values, which will be useful for future applications in optical communication in the IR region.