Phenylmercury(II) methylferrocenyldithiocarbamate-functionalized dye-sensitized solar cells with hydroxy as an anchoring group

Abstract

A new heterobimetallic phenylmercury(II) dithiocarbamate complex having the ferrocenyl moiety (C5H5)Fe(C5H4) (Fc), PhHgS2CN(CH2Fc)CH2CH2OH, (1) has been prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, UV–vis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies and X-ray crystallography. The crystal structure of 1 showed a linear core at the Hg(II) centre of the molecule bounded by the sulfur atom of the dithiocarbamate ligand and carbon atom of the aromatic ring. Weak intermolecular Hg···S interactions lead to “head to tail” dimer in this compound and presence of hydroxyl group generates one-dimensional chain network. This ferrocenyl-based organomercury(II) dithiocarbamate complex compound comprising of a –OH moiety showed improved light-harvesting properties as a photosensitizer in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The short-circuit current and open-circuit potential obtained with this compound were 6.95 mA/cm2 and −0.645 V, respectively, resulting in the enhanced overall conversion efficiency of 3.2 %.; [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2014, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.