Design Concept for High-LUMO-level Fullerene Electron-acceptors for Organic Solar Cells

This review article describes design concept, synthesis, and features of fullerene derivatives having high lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) levels to achieve high open-circuit voltage in organic thin-film photovoltaic devices. Installation of organic electron-donating groups onto fullerene and decrease of the size of the fullerene π-electron-conjugated system raise the LUMO levels, affording high-performance organic solar cells. Addition of the methano group as the smallest carbon addend to fullerene to obtain 56π-electron fullerene derivatives is likely a promising strategy for this purpose.