The second harmonic generation (SHG) conversion efficiency of 22 arylfurylpropenones were examined. The required arylfurylpropenones were prepared by the condensation of substituted arylfurfuraldehyde with various substituted acetophenones by Claisen-Schmidt reaction. All the newly synthesized propenones were characterized by elemental analysis and spectral studies. Most of them showed SHG conversion efficiency in powder form. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.