Some basic research work on the synthesis, structure and properties of a variety of organic and organometallic electro-active materials was summarized. Synthesis, structure and nonlinear optical properties of organometallic compounds were studied systematically in this group. It was found that the molecular configuration formed by all the coordination atoms around the central metallic ions is one of the important factors that influence the linear and nonlinear optical properties of organometallic and coordination compounds. Based mainly on our own work, as well as some results from other research groups, an empirical rule which may help the design of new NLO materials from organometallic and coordination compounds for various applications was proposed. To design organic chromophores that exhibit both high nonlinearity and wide transparence, a new strategy of using "combined conjugation bridges" was proposed. Two organic chromophores designed by this new approach have shown a blue-shifted absorption and strong nonlinear optical property. Several electro-optical or photorefractive polymers were designed and synthesized. For this purpose, some functional moieties such as organic nonlinear optical chromophores and charge transporting agents were attached by covalent bonds to polysilanes, polysiloxanes, polyvinylcarbazoles, polyphosphazenes or polyferrocenylsilanes. Some polymers have demonstrated excellent performance and the others are waiting for the measurement results. A variety of organic ligands, electron-donating molecules and polyaniline were successfully inserted into the interlayer space of MPS3 (M=Mn or Fe) so as to explore the possibility of obtaining molecular conductive magnets. Eight intercalation compounds exhibited spontaneous magnetization with the Currie temperature of 30～60 K. On the other hand, the conductivity of some other intercalates was 5 to 8 orders of magnitude higher than that of the pure host.

Key words: SANDWICH COMPOUNDS, NON LINEAR OPTICS, ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY, PHOTOELECTRIC MATERIAL, MAGNETISM, MOLECULAR DESIGN, SYNTHESIS, ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS, STRUCTURE AND PROPERTY CORRELATION