Four new organic dyes, 1-4, containing triphenylamine (TPA) donors connected through different acetylene linkages to fluorene bridges and cyanoacrylic acid acceptors were designed and synthetized for photoconversion in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Their absorption spectra, electrochemical and photovoltaic properties were investigated. Shortening the bridge between the TPA moiety and the anchoring group leads to a dramatic increase in the overall photoconversion efficiency (1 > 3 > 4 > 2). (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.