Purification-free synthesis of a highly efficient ruthenium dye complex for dye-sensitised solar cells (DSSCs)

A novel Ru(II) sensitiser A597 containing the 4,4'-dioctylamido-2,2'-bipyridine ancillary ligand is synthesised without the need for purification steps. It shows an irreversible oxidation at 0.92 V in the cyclic voltammogram and an absorbtion at 539 nm in the UV-vis spectrum corresponding to an (1)MLCT transition. Preliminary DFT calculations reveal that the HOMO is localised on the ruthenium metal centre and the thiocyanate ligands, whereas the LUMO is predominantly on the 4,4'-carboxy-2,2'-bipyridine ligand. The ruthenium complex exhibits a maximum power conversion efficiency (7.25%) compared with the known Z907 (8.32%) in dye-sensitised solar cells.