1-(2′-Thiophen)-3-(2,3,5-trichlorophenyl)-2-propen-1-one (TTCP) was synthesized by Claisen-Schmidt condensation reaction. FT-IR spectra were recorded to identify the functional groups present in the compound. The NLO test carried out on the sample using Z-scan technique confirms the existence of nonlinearity in the third harmonic generation. Further, the compound is characterized by UV-visible spectral studies for the optical transmission. Finally, the structure of the product obtained was confirmed by the X-ray diffraction studies. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with a=16.6170(6)Å, b=7.6180(5)Å, c=10.9280(11)Å and β=104.635(3)°. The thiophene ring shows planar conformation and is affected by π conjugation. The unsaturated keto group is in + syn-periplanar conformation. The molecule exhibits both inter and intramolecular hydrogen bonds of the type C–H ⋯ O and C–H ⋯ Cl which can account for the stability of the molecule.