Two-photon upconverting dyes and applications

A composition comprising:

• a matrix material and
• a compound having the formula:
• ##STR31## wherein n is 0;
• A is hydrogen;
• D is an amine having the formula NR.sup.1 R.sup.2 ;
• R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties;
• Y is a counterion;
• Q had the formula:
• ##STR32## R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties;
• dispersed in said matrix.

A composition comprising:

• a matrix and
• a compound having the formula:
• ##STR33## wherein R.sup.2 is unsubstituted alkyl,
• R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 are selected from the group consisting of hydroxyalkyl, sulfoalkyl, and carboxyalkyl,
• A and B are hydrogen, and
• Y is a counterion dispersed in said matrix.

A composition comprising:

• a matrix material and
• a compound having the formula:
• ##STR34## wherein D is an electron donating group;
• Q is an electron acceptor selected from the group consisting of electron acceptors having the formulae:
• ##STR35## W is an electron accepting group, R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties,
• n is an integer from 0 to 4,
• A, B, and C are substitutents of their rings and are each independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, sulfoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, and hydrogen, and
• Y is a counterion dispersed in said matrix, wherein said matrix material is selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a glass, and a liquid.

A composition comprising:

• a matrix material and
• a compound having the formula:
• ##STR36## wherein D is an electron donating group;
• Q is an electron acceptor selected from the group consisting of electron acceptors having the formulae:
• ##STR37## W is an electron accepting group, R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties,
• n is an integer from 0 to 4,
• A, B, and C are substituents of their rings and are each independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, sulfoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, and hydrogen, and
• Y is a counterion dispersed in said matrix, wherein the composition is a free standing film, forms a coating on a substrate, forms a fiber or forms a three dimensional solid having at least two parallel sides separated by a distance from about 2 to about 20 mm.

A composition comprising:

• a matrix material and
• a compound having the formula:
• ##STR38## wherein D is an electron donating group;
• Q is an electron acceptor selected from the group consisting of electron acceptors having the formulae:
• ##STR39## W is an electron accepting group, R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties,
• n is an integer from 0 to 4,
• A, B, and C are substituents of their rings and are each independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, sulfoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, and hydrogen, and
• Y is a counterion dispersed in said matrix, wherein said compound is present in said matrix material in a concentration from about 0.001M to about 0.1M.

A method of detecting infrared radiation comprising:

• placing a compound having the formula:
• ##STR40## wherein n is 0;
• A is hydrogen;
• D is an amine having the formula NR.sup.1 R.sup.2 ;
• R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties;
• Y is a counterion;
• Q has the formula:
• ##STR41## R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties;
• at a location potentially exposed to the infrared radiation and
• evaluating whether the compound has been exposed to the infrared radiation at the location.

A method of detecting infrared radiation comprising:

• placing a compound having the formula:
• ##STR42## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties,
• R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties,
• A and B are substitutents of their rings and are each independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, sulfoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, and hydrogen, and
• Y is tetraphenylborate
• at a location potentially exposed to the infrared radiation and
• evaluating whether the compound has been exposed to the infrared radiation at the location.

A method of detecting infrared radiation comprising:

• placing a compound having the formula:
• ##STR43## wherein A and B are hydrogen,
• R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, sulfoalkyl, and carboxyalkyl, and
• Y is a counterion at a location potentially exposed to the infrared radiation and
• evaluating whether the compound has been exposed to the infrared radiation at the location.

A method of detecting infrared radiation comprising:

• placing a compound having the formula:
• ##STR44## wherein D is an electron donating group;
• Q is an electron acceptor selected from the group consisting of electron acceptors having the formulae:
• ##STR45## W is an electron accepting group, R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties,
• n is an integer from 0 to 4,
• A, B, and C are substituents of their rings and are each independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, sulfoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, and hydrogen, and
• Y is a counterion at a location potentially exposed to the infrared radiation and
• evaluating whether the compound has been exposed to the infrared radiation at the location, wherein the compound is dispersed in a matrix material.

A method of detecting infrared radiation comprising:

• placing a compound having the formula:
• ##STR46## wherein D is an electron donating group;
• Q is an electron acceptor selected from the group consisting of electron acceptors having the formulae:
• ##STR47## W is an electron accepting group, R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties,
• n is an integer from 0 to 4,
• A, B, and C are substituents of their rings and are each independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, sulfoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, and hydrogen, and
• Y is a counterion at a location potentially exposed to the infrared radiation and
• evaluating whether the compound has been exposed to the infrared radiation at the location, wherein the infrared radiation has a wavelength fromabout 700 to about 1300 nm.

A method of detecting infrared radiation comprising:

• placing a compound having the formula:
• ##STR48## wherein D is an electron donating group;
• Q is an electron acceptor selected from the group consisting of electron acceptors having the formuale:
• ##STR49## W is an electron accepting group, R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties,
• n is an integer from 0 to 4,
• A, B, and C are substituents of their rings and are each independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, sulfoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, and hydrogen, and
• Y is a counterion at a location potentially exposed to the infrared radiation and
• evaluating whether the compound has been exposed to the infrared radiation at the location, wherein the infrared radiation is laser radiation produced by a Nd-YAG laser.

A method for reducing intensity of infrared radiation comprising:

• providing a compound having the formula:
• ##STR50## wherein D is an electron donating group;
• Q is an electron acceptor selected from the group consisting of electron acceptors having the formulae:
• ##STR51## W is an electron accepting group, R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties,
• n is an integer from 0 to 4,
• A, B, and C are substituents of their rings and are each independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, sulfoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, and hydrogen, and
• Y is a counterion and
• passing infrared radiation through the compound, whereby the compound reduces intensity of the infrared radiation.

An device for detecting infrared radiation comprising:

• an infrared detector and
• a window comprising a compound having the formula:
• ##STR53## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties,
• A and B are substituents of their rings and are each independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, sulfoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, and hydrogen, and
• Y is a counterion positioned at a location where incident infrared radiation passes through the window prior to entering said detector.

A method for converting infrared radiation to visible radiation comprising:

• providing a compound having the formula:
• ##STR55## wherein D is an electron donating group;
• Q is an electron acceptor selected from the group consisting of electron acceptors having the formulae:
• ##STR56## W is an electron accepting group, R.sup.3 is selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties,
• n is an integer from 0 to 4,
• A, B, and C are substituents of their rings and are each independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, sulfoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, and hydrogen, and
• Y is a counterion
• and
• exposing the compound to infrared radiation, whereby the compound converts the infrared radiation to visible radiation.

A laser comprising:

• a source capable of producing infrared radiation and
• a compound having the formula:
• ##STR58## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl moieties,
• A and B are substituents of their rings and are each independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkoxy, hydroxyalkyl, sulfoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, and hydrogen, and
• Y is a counterion positioned at a location where infrared radiation from said source exposes said compound, whereby said compound converts the infrared radiation to visible radiation.