Synthesis of novel dyes having EDOT-containing oligothiophenes as π-linker for panchromatic dye-sensitized solar cells

•Novel donor–π–acceptor dyes are synthesized.•Introduction of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene unit leads to a red-shift of absorption bands.•The dye having quaterthiophene exhibits the excellent light-harvesting ability up to 800 nm.

Novel donor–π–acceptor (D–π–A) dyes composed of oligothiophenes having 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) as a π-linker have been synthesized. The introduction of EDOT unit in oligothiophenes and the elongation of π-conjugation length of oligothiophenes led to a red-shift of absorption bands of the D–π–A dyes. It was found that a D–π–A dye having EDOT-containing quaterthiophene exhibited the excellent light-harvesting ability up to 800 nm.

Graphical abstractNovel donor–π–acceptor (D–π–A) dyes composed of oligothiophenes having 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) as a π-linker have been synthesized. The introduction of EDOT unit in oligothiophenes and the elongation of π-conjugation length of oligothiophenes led to a red-shift of absorption bands of the D–π–A dyes. It was found that a D–π–A dye having EDOT-containing quaterthiophene exhibited the excellent light-harvesting ability up to 800 nm.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide