Multifunctional derivatives of dimethoxy-substituted triphenylamine containing different acceptor moieties

Abstract

Two compounds, having dimethoxy-substituted triphenylamino groups and fragments of cyanoacrylic acid or rhodanine-3-acetic acid were prepared and characterized. Their optical, photophysical, thermal, electrochemical, photoelectrical and nonlinear optical properties were investigated. Both derivatives showed ability of glass-formation with glass transition temperatures of 83 and 61 °C. They showed comparable ionization potential values of ca. 5.20 eV. The compounds showed Kerr and two photon absorption effects. The dye containing a rhodanine-3-acetic acid fragment, namely 2-((E)-5-(4-(diphenylamino)benzylidene)-tetrahydro-4-oxo-2-thioxothiophen-3-yl)acetic acid, exhibited a promising power conversion efficiency of 2.09% in dye-sensitized solar cells using the spiro-OMeTAD as hole transporting compound.