Two multisubstituted D-
![](/images/gifchars/pi.gif)
-A type pyridinium salts,
N-methyl-2,6-di[(
E)-
p-dimethylaminophenylethenyl]pyridinium iodide (
1) and
N-methyl-2,4,6-tri[(
E)-
p-dimethylaminophenylethenyl]pyridinium iodide (
2), weresynthesized with good yields by a modified method, and the structure of
1 was confirmed by X-ray diffraction.The nonlinear optical absorption (NOA) properties of the two compounds in the solution state were investigatedby the
Z-scan technique. Compounds
1 and
2 both exhibited very strong saturated absorption at picosecondpulse, and
1 displayed reverse saturated absorption, while
2 revealed saturated absorption properties at thenanosecond pulse. The electron-donating ability, number of side chains, and molecular coplanar characteristicsof the compounds have a significant impact on their NOA properties.