A Metal-Free N-Annulated Thienocyclopentaperylene Dye: Power Conversion Efficiency of 12% for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Reported are two highly efficient metal-free perylene dyes featuring N-annulated thienobenzoperylene (NTBP) and N-annulated thienocyclopentaperylene (NTCP), which are coplanar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Without the use of any coadsorbate, the metal-free organic dye derived from the NTCP segment was used for a dye-sensitized solar cell which attained a power conversion efficiency of 12% under an irradiance of 100 mW cm(-2), simulated air mass global (AM1.5G) sunlight.