TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: (A) has a number"a"of acidic groups (HA) per molecule that may release a proton or, in their deprotonated form A-, may accept a proton. The dye is a metal-complex having one or more aromatic heterocyclic ligands containing at least one nitrogen atom, which is linked to the metal. (A) has the structure of formula ((NR4)m((HA)a(A)b-Nn)MXp), which is a pyridyl complex of ruthenium, preferably a polypyridyl complex of ruthenium. The metal is ruthenium (preferred) or osmium. (A) is: characterized by HPLC spectrum as given in the figure of the specification using the conditions including reversed phase, preferably 18C or 8C as column material, and a mixture of alcohol, such as ethanol or methanol/water or acetonitrile/water at pH 7-11, preferably 9-11 as eluent; and preferably characterized by a UV-visible spectrum as given in the figure of the specification. (A) is obtained by evaporating the solvent from the solution. (A) is obtained as solid after evaporation.b, n, a, p, m = 0-20, preferably a is 1-2, p is 2 or 3 and m is 0-4, with the proviso that n+p is 6, and m+2 is equal to b+p;NR4 = tetraalkylammonium or ammonium;R = H or alkyl, preferably 4-12C alkyl;M = metal comprising ruthenium or osmium, preferably ruthenium;X = anion comprising Cl-, Br-, I-, (CN)- or (NCS)-, preferably (NCS)- with N linked to M;HA = acidic group, preferably -COOH, -SO3H or -PO3H2;A = basic group corresponding to HA after release of a proton from HA;((HA)a(A)b-Nn) = one or more aromatic heterocyclic ligands containing n nitrogen atoms linked to M, where the aromatic heterocyclic ligand is a mono- or polycyclic condensed ring system or a system of rings covalently bonded to each other, and optionally, the ring system or rings are substituted with further substituents, such as halogens, functional groups such as OH or NH2 and/or R1a, and the aromatic heterocyclic ligand has a core (which is pyridine, (2,2')bipyridinyl, 1H-pyrrolo(2,3-b)pyridine, (1,10)phenanthroline, (2,2',6',2'')terpyridine, (3,3')biisoquinolinyl or 7H-purine) to which the HA and/or A groups, optionally, further substituents, are attached;R1a = H, alkyl, aryl, alkoxy or N(R1b)2; andR1b = H or alkyl.Preferred Process: The step of adjusting the pH of the dye solution occurs by addition of an appropriate amount of base or acid. In step (b), an amount of (1a) equimolar to"a"is added so as to convert the dye into the soluble form, preferably water-soluble form. In step (b): 4 equivalents of (1a) to the amount of red dye is added; 2 equivalents of (1a) to the amount of cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylato)-ruthenium (II) bis-tetrabutylammonium is added; or 1 equivalent of (1a) to the amount of tris(isothiocyanato)-ruthenium (II)-(2,2':6',2"-terpyridine-4,4',4"-tri-carboxylato)tris-tetrabutylammonium salt is added. The steps (b1) and (c1) are performed at greater than 100 degrees C (preferably 150-180 degrees C) and preferably under inert atmosphere and exclusion of light. In the process, the solvent is ethanol and the pH of the dye-solution is adjusted to 5-7, preferably 6.1 plus minus 0.5, if the dye solution has a dye concentration of 0.1-0.5 mM, preferably 0.2-0.4 mM, or the solvent is a 1/1 mixture of acetonitrile/tert-butanol and the pH of the dye-solution is adjusted to 7-9, preferably 8 plus minus 0.5, if the dye solution has a dye concentration of 0.1-0.5 mM, preferably 0.2-0.4 mM. The evaporation occurs by freeze-drying or rotary evaporation.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The solvent is a solvent from which, in the manufacture of DSSC, adsorption of the dye to a semiconductor layer of the DSSC is carried out. The solvent is preferably acetonitrile, 1-6C lower alcohol such as methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, butanol or tert-butanol, methoxypropionitrile and/or dimethylformamide. The base is the ammonium compound (1a). The acid is trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, trifluoroacetic acid, nitric acid, acetic acid or sulfuric acid. SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - The preparation of cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylato)-ruthenium (II) of formula (Aa), cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylato)-ruthenium (II) bis-tetrabutylammonium and tris(isothiocyanato)-ruthenium (II)-(2,2':6',2"-terpyridine-4,4',4"-tri-carboxylato)tris-tetrabutylammonium is specifically claimed as (A).    EXAMPLE - Dimeric (p-cymol)-ruthenium (II) chloride (0.816 mmol) was dissolved in dimethylformamide (250 ml) and (2,2')bipyridinyl-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid (3.26 mmol) was added to the mixture under inert atmosphere. The mixture was refluxed at 160 degrees C for 8 hours under constant stirring. High excess (80-fold) of ammonium thiocyanate (65.2 mmol) was added to the reaction mixture and the reflux continued for another 8 hours. The mixture was cooled down to room temperature and the solvent was removed. To the resulting viscous liquid 0.2M aqueous sodium hydroxide solution (10 ml) was added. The solution was filtered, and the pH was lowered to pH 1.7 with an acid solution of 0.5M nitric acid (10 ml). The mixture was placed in a refrigerator over night. After the mixture was warmed to room temperature, the solid was collected by filtration. The solid was washed with water acidified to pH 1.7 with nitric acid (3x 20 ml) and washed with diethylether/petrolether 1:1 mixture. The crude product was re-dissolved in 0.2M aqueous sodium hydroxide solution (10 ml) and filtered. The solvent was reduced to a small volume of 10 ml and obtained product was dried to give cis-bis(isothiocyanato)bis(2,2'-bipyridyl-4,4'-dicarboxylato)-ruthenium (II) (1.33 mmol, 82%).