The dimethyl and tetramethyl derivatives of a series of anthra [1, 9-cd: 4, 10-c′ d′] bis [1, 2] dithiole, diselenole, and ditellurole have been prepared as a new type of electron donor. The introduced methyl groups serve to enhance not only the donor strength, but also the solubility, enabling a ready formation of their charge-transfer complexes with various electron acceptors such as 7, 7, 8, 8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ), its 2, 3, 5, 6- ...