Direct (hetero)arylation polymerization of a spirobifluorene and a dithienyl-diketopyrrolopyrrole derivative: New donor polymers for organic solar cells

The synthesis and preliminary evaluation as donor material for organic photovoltaics of the poly(diketopyrrolopyrrole-spirobifluorene) (PDPPSBF) is reported herein. Prepared via homogeneous and heterogeneous direct (hetero)arylation polymerization (DHAP), through the use of different catalytic systems, conjugated polymers with comparable molecular weights were obtained. The polymers exhibited strong optical absorption out to 700 nm as thin-films and had appropriate electronic energy levels for use as a donor with PC₇₀BM. Bulk heterojunction solar cells were fabricated giving power conversion efficiencies above 4%. These results reveal the potential of such polymers prepared in only three steps from affordable and commercially available starting materials.