The invention relates to small, conjugatable, orthogonal and tunable fluorophores for imaging of small bioactive molecules. The invention further relates to processes for the preparation of the compounds, and uses of the compounds in therapeutic, diagnostic, surgery and analytical applications. The invention provides a compound of formula (I), a derivative or a salt thereof. Wherein X is selected from the group consisting of NH, O, S, SeR5R6, CR7R8; R1 is selected from the group consisting of amines, alcohols, thiols, thiophenols, selenols, selenophenols and aryl groups; R2 and R3 are independently H or a halogen; R4 tis either H, nitro or cyano; R5 is either absent or methyl or oxygen; R6 is either absent or methyl or oxygen; and R7 and R8 are independently selected from the group consisting of linear or cyclic alkyl groups containing halogen, amino, cyano or carboxylic ester substituents, and alkyl aryl groups.

##STR00001##

Provided herein are dyes, dye-sensitized solar cells, and sequential series multijunction dye-sensitized solar cell devices. The dyes include an electron deficient acceptor moiety, a medium electron density π-bridge moiety, and an electron rich donor moiety comprising a biaryl, a substituted biaryl, or an R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 substituted phenyl where each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 independently comprises H, aryl, multiaryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, alkyl substituted multiaryl, alkoxy substituted multiaryl, OR.sup.4, N(R.sup.5).sub.2, or a combination thereof; each R.sup.4 independently comprises H, alkyl, aryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, or a combination thereof; and each R.sup.5 independently comprises aryl, multiaryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, alkyl substituted multiaryl, alkoxy substituted multiaryl, or a combination thereof. The solar cells include a glass substrate, a dye-sensitized active layer, and a redox shuttle. The devices include at least two dye-sensitized solar cells connected in series.

A composition includes two or more near infrared absorbing compounds having an absorption maximum in a wavelength range of 650 to 1000 nm and having a solubility of 0.1 mass % or lower in water at 23° C., in which the two or more near infrared absorbing compounds include a first near infrared absorbing compound having an absorption maximum in a wavelength range of 650 to 1000 nm, and a second near infrared absorbing compound having an absorption maximum in a wavelength range of 650 to 1000 nm which is shorter than the absorption maximum of the first near infrared absorbing compound, and a difference between the absorption maximum of the first near infrared absorbing compound and the absorption maximum of the second near infrared absorbing compound is 1 to 150 nm.

Described are multifocal contact lenses that contain high energy visible (HEV) light absorbing compounds and their use for improving one or more vision attributes.

Provided are dyes and compositions which are useful in a number of applications, such as the detection and monitoring protein aggregation, kinetic studies of protein aggregation, neurofibrillary plaques analysis, evaluation of protein formulation stability, and analysis of molecular chaperone activity.

Described are visible light absorbing compounds. The compounds have a visible light absorption maximum between 430 and 480 nm and a full width half maximum (FWHM) at the visible light absorption maximum of at least 35 nm and up to 100 nanometers, wherein the compounds are photostable. The compounds substantially mimic the visible light absorbance properties of macular pigment while remaining photostable. The compounds may be used in a variety of articles, including ophthalmic devices.

Provided herein are dyes, dye-sensitized solar cells, and sequential series multijunction dye-sensitized solar cell devices. The dyes include an electron deficient acceptor moiety, a medium electron density -bridge moiety, and an electron rich donor moiety comprising a biaryl, a substituted biaryl, or an R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3 substituted phenyl where each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 independently comprises H, aryl, multiaryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, alkyl substituted multiaryl, alkoxy substituted multiaryl, OR.sup.4, N(R.sup.5).sub.2, or a combination thereof; each R.sup.4 independently comprises H, alkyl, aryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, or a combination thereof; and each R.sup.5 independently comprises aryl, multiaryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, alkyl substituted multiaryl, alkoxy substituted multiaryl, or a combination thereof. The solar cells include a glass substrate, a dye-sensitized active layer, and a redox shuttle. The devices include at least two dye-sensitized solar cells connected in series.

Provided herein are dyes, dye-sensitized solar cells, and sequential series multijunction dye-sensitized solar cell devices. The dyes include an electron deficient acceptor moiety, a medium electron density ?-bridge moiety, and an electron rich donor moiety comprising a biaryl, a substituted biaryl, or an R1, R2, R3 substituted phenyl where each of R1, R2, and R3 independently comprises H, aryl, multiaryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, alkyl substituted multiaryl, alkoxy substituted multiaryl, OR4, N(R5)2, or a combination thereof; each R4 independently comprises H, alkyl, aryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, or a combination thereof; and each R5 independently comprises aryl, multiaryl, alkyl substituted aryl, alkoxy substituted aryl, alkyl substituted multiaryl, alkoxy substituted multiaryl, or a combination thereof. The solar cells include a glass substrate, a dye-sensitized active layer, and a redox shuttle. The devices include at least two dye-sensitized solar cells connected in series.

An organic dye corresponding to one of the following structures (I) or (II): eD-pi-conjugated chromophore-L-A (I), or A-L-pi-conjugated chromophore-eD (II), where eD represents an electron donor segment, L represents a covalent bond or a spacer segment and in particular a pi-conjugated spacer segment, A represents an electron acceptor segment capable of forming a covalent bond with a semiconductor, in which the pi-conjugated chromophore comprises at least one unit of formula (III): ##STR00001##
in which the radicals R1 and R2, which are identical or different, represent an optionally substituted aryl group; the radicals R3 to R8, which are identical or different, represent a hydrogen, an optionally substituted alkyl group or an optionally substituted aryl group; and X1 and X2, which are identical or different, are chosen from S, Se and O.

A method of quenching excited state energy from a photodegradable pigment that has been excited by absorption of light having a wavelength in the wavelength range of 290-800 nm, comprising reacting a pigment with a conjugated fused tricyclic compound having electron withdrawing groups of Formula (II) or a salt thereof: ##STR00001## wherein: A is selected from the group consisting of O, S, CO, CS, ##STR00002## B.sup.1, B.sup.2, D.sup.1 and D.sup.2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, I, CF.sub.3, CC13, NR33+, NO2, CN, C(O)R4, C(O)OR, SO2R5, aryl, and CCHR6; each m independently is 0, 1, 2, 3, or 4; a is 0 or 1; each R is independently selected from the group consisting of LI, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl; R.sup.2 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and aryl; each R.sup.3 is independently selected from the group consisting of H and C.sub.1-C.sub.6 alkyl; each R.sup.4 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl; each R.sup.5 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, O, OH, NH.sub.2, and Cl; and each R.sup.6 is-independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, and aryl.