This article reports the design and synthesis of donor-substituted symmetrical and unsymmetrical benzothiadiazoles (BTDs) of 5-12 type D-π-A-D, D1-π-A-D2, D1-A1-A2-D2, D-A1-A2-D and D-A1-A2-A1-D by Ullmann, Suzuki and cycloaddition-retroelectrocyclization reactions. The photophysical, electrochemical and computational properties were studied and show substantial donor-acceptor interaction. Their single photon absorption show strong charge transfer bands in the near-infrared (NIR) region and the electrochemical reduction show multiple reduction waves. The optical HOMO-LUMO gap of BTDs 5-12 was found to be a function of the number and nature of the acceptors. Computational studies reveal that strong cyano-based acceptors, dicyanoquinodimethane (DCNQ) and tetracyanobutadiene (TCBD) lower the LUMO level in BTDs 7-12, which results in a low HOMO-LUMO gap compared to acetylene linked BTDs 5 and 6. The BTDs with carbazole and single TCBD and DCNQ acceptors show better thermal stability.