N-Acylation of dithieno[3,2-b:2′,3′-d]pyrrole (DTP) leads to enhanced open-circuit voltages and hence higher power conversion efficiencies in polymer solar cells.

A series of thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole-based small molecule organic optoelectronic materials is synthesized via a straightforward microwave-activated Pd-catalyzed C-H arylation protocol. The procedure allows us to obtain extended 2,5-dithienylthiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole chromophores with tailor-made energy levels and absorption patterns, depending on the introduced (het)aryl moieties and the molecular (a)symmetry, by shortened sequences without organometallic intermediates. The synthesized materials can be applied as either electron donor or electron acceptor light-harvesting materials in molecular bulk heterojunction organic solar cells.