Organic　nonlinear　optical　materials　have　attracted　much　attention　due　to　their　large　nonlinear　optical　coefficients　and　ultrafast　response　speeds,　as　well　as　their　potential　applications　in　optical　limiting　(OL).　Among　them,　nonlinear　optical　materials　with　phenanthrenone　as　the　backbone　are　consistently　understudied.　We　have　successfully　realized　the　transformation　of　organic　small　molecules　in　the　nonlinear　optical　direction　by　replacing　the　carbonyl　group　on　the　structure　of　phenanthrenone　with　a　malononitrile　group.　The　nonlinear　optical　properties　of　CN-2　were　investigated　under　different　excitation　conditions　at　532　nm　and　the　kinetic　process　of　nonlinear　optics　was　analyzed　by　transient　absorption　spectroscopy.　In　addition,　we　also　investigated　the　OL　properties　of　CN-2　,　and　the　OL　experiments　showed　that　CN-2　with　a　lower　OL　threshold　has　superior　OL　properties　than　C　60　.