Optical properties of (Z)-2-(2-phenylhydrazinylidene)acenaphthen-1(2H)-one: a potential electron donor in organic solar cells

Abstract

Electron-donating molecules play an important role in the development of organic solar cells. (Z)-2-(2-Phenylhydrazinylidene)acenaphthen-1(2H)-one (PDAK), C18H12N2O, was synthesized by a Schiff base reaction. The crystal structure shows that the molecules are planar and are linked together forming `face-to-face' assemblies held together by intermolecular C—H...O, π–π and C—H...π interactions. PDAK exhibits a broadband UV–Vis absorption (200–648 nm) and a low HOMO–LUMO energy gap (1.91 eV; HOMO is the highest occupied molecular orbital and LUMO is the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital), while fluorescence quenching experiments provide evidence for electron transfer from the excited state of PDAK to C60. This suggests that the title molecule may be a suitable donor for use in organic solar cells.