Synthesis, Crystal Structure, Hirshfeld Surface Analysis, and Computational Study of a Novel Organic Salt Obtained from Benzylamine and an Acidic Component

A novel Schiff base compound named as phenylmethanaminium (E)-4-((benzylimino)­methyl)­benzoate C7H10N+. C15H12NO2– (A) is synthesized by the chemical reaction of benzylamine and 4-carboxybenzaldehyde in ethanol, and the structure of the titled compound is verified using the single-crystal X-ray diffraction technique. Structural investigation inferred that the crystal packing is mainly stabilized by N–H···O and comparatively weak C–H···O bonding between the cation and anion and further stabilized by weak C–H···π and C–O···π interactions. Hirshfeld surface analysis is employed to explore the noncovalent interactions that are responsible for crystal packing quantitatively. Furthermore, we have used state-of-the-art quantum chemical calculations to get comprehensive insights into the structure–optoelectronic property relationship for the entitled compound. The molecular geometry of compound A is optimized at the M06/6-311G* level of theory. The linear polarizability, third-order nonlinear optical (NLO) polarizability, total and partial density of states, and UV–visible spectrum are calculated through quantum chemical calculations. We believe that compound A is not only a new addition to crystallographic data but also possesses good optical and NLO properties for its potential use in lasers and frequency-converting applications.