Intense NIR absorbing porphyrin based dyes with BODIPY as the acceptor

To gain significant solar flux in the near-infrared region, a highly photostable and NIR active naphthobipyrrole-derived BODIPY having diacid anchoring groups was attached as the acceptor moiety to the porphyrin donor. The porphyrin-BODIPY conjugates exhibit non-zero absorption beyond 800 nm having an intense lowest energy absorption band at 750 nm. The LUMO and HOMO energy levels are appropriately placed compared to the conduction band level of the semiconductor and redox electrolyte, respectively; hence, these dyes may harvest the solar energy efficiently. Two unprecedented intense NIR absorbing porphyrin-based dyes with BODIPY as the acceptor have been synthesized with panchromatic absorption which may find application in DSSCs.