Whereas there is an increasing amount of reports on the second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) and luminescence properties of tetradentate [N2O2] Schiff base–zinc complexes, the study of zinc complexes having two bidentate [NO] Schiff-base ligands is relatively unexplored from an NLO point of view. This work puts in evidence that the known chiral bis{2-[(R)-(+)-1-phenylethyliminomethyl]phenolato-N,O}zinc(II) complex is a fascinating multifunctional molecular inorganic–organic hybrid material characterized by interesting second-order NLO and luminescent properties in solution. The emissive properties of the organic 2-(R)-(+)-1-phenylethyliminomethyl]phenol proligand are greatly enhanced upon coordination to the inorganic Zn(II) center.
