Synthesis of triphenylamine-porphyrin derivatives as pho-sensitizers in solar cells

Abstract

In this research, synthesis of porphyrinic compounds and investigation of their electrochemical and photophysical properties are described. Three novel porphyrinic compounds were synthesized by a copper-free Sonogashira coupling reaction between tris(4-iodophenyl)amine and 5,10,15-triphenyl-20-(4-ethynylphenyl)porphyrin. The completely coupled product having a triphenylamine core and three peripheral porphyrin moieties will be used as a photo-sensitizer in a bulk heterojunction solar cell. The di-substituted derivative was subjected to another Sonogashira coupling of the remaining terminal iodo group with two different surface anchoring units to obtain porphyrin products for dye-sensitized solar cells. Cyclic voltammetry and photoluminescence study of these compounds were performed to determine the potential of these compounds for being used in the solar cells.