2-Aminopyridinium trichloroacetate, a novel organic optical material has been synthesized and crystals were grown from aqueous solution employing the technique of controlled evaporation. 2-Aminopyridinium trichloroacetate crystallizes in monoclinic system with space group P2(1)/c and the lattice parameters are a = 8.598(5) angstrom, b = 11.336(2) angstrom, c = 11.023(2) angstrom, beta = 102.83(1)degrees and volume = 1047.5(3) angstrom(3). High-resolution X-ray diffraction measurements were performed to analyze the structural perfection of the grown crystals. Thermal analysis shows a sharp endothermic peak at 124 degrees C due to melting reaction of 2-aminopyridinium trichloroacetate. UV-vis-NIR studies reveal that 2-aminopyridinium trichloroacetate has UV cutoff wavelength at 354 nm. Dielectric studies show that dielectric constant and dielectric loss decreases with increasing frequency and finally it becomes almost a constant at higher frequencies for all temperatures. The negative nonlinear optical parameters of 2-aminopyridinium trichloroacetate were derived by the Z-scan technique. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.