Photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells based on donor-acceptor pi-conjugated benzofuro[2,3-c]oxazolo[4,5-a]carbazole-type fluorescent dyes with a carboxyl group at different positions of the chromophore skeleton.

Donor-acceptor pi-conjugated benzofuro[2,3-c]oxazolo[4,5-a]carbazole-type fluorescent dyes 3a, 3b, 8a, and 8b with a carboxyl group at different positions of the chromophore skeleton have been designed and synthesized. The absorption and fluorescence spectra and cyclic voltammograms of the fluorescent dyes agree very well, showing that the position of the carboxyl group has a negligible influence on the photophysical and electrochemical properties of these dyes. When these dyes are used in dye-sensitized solar cells, however, their photovolatic performances are considerably different.