Synthesis of Donor Substituted Chlorophyll Derivatives for Applications in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

Abstract

Organic dyes based on chlorophyll derivatives were synthesized and investigated with respect to applications in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSC). Cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis cultivated on large scales in tropical areas around the Pacific Ocean is an attractive source for production and isolation of pure chlorophyll a. Direct transformation of chlorophyll a into very robust chlorin e6 trimethylester 3 affords an ideal platform for synthesis of dyes for artificial photosynthesis. A series of molecules 24–32 with donor-π-acceptor structures and functional groups for immobilization on TiO2 were achieved by subsequent synthetic modifications of 3. Photochemical, theoretical and electrochemical properties of dyes were investigated and their sensitized solar cells performances studied after immobilization on TiO2.