To create new ³-conjugated compounds having a donor acceptordonor array, two 4-(9-anthrylethynyl)phenyl groups were introduced into a perylenebis(dicarboximide) structure at 1,6-or 1,7-positions by the SuzukiMiyaura coupling of corresponding dibromoperylenebis(dicarboximide) and boronic acid ester derivatives. The UVvis and fluorescence spectra and the electrochemical data of these donoracceptordonor type compounds suggested weak electronic interactions between the anthracene units and the perylenebis(dicarboximide) unit.Perylenebis(dicarboximide) (PBI) units have been extensively utilized in the molecular design of various functional molecules because of their abilities as ³-acceptor as well as effective chromophores and fluorophores (Figure 1). 1 It is noted that the properties of PBI derivatives are readily tunable by the introduction of substituents at aromatic moieties and imide-nitrogen atoms. Substituents at the bay positions (1,6,7,12-C) are known to greatly influence the electronic properties of the perylene moiety. In particular, the attachment of donor moieties to form a donor acceptor (DA) array 2 is a fascinating motif for organic dyes, 3 FETs, 1b,1c,4 and solar cell devices. 5 In order to synthesize such molecules, brominated PBIs are convenient starting materials that can be used for various cross-coupling reactions. For example, phthalocyanine and porphyrin units have been successfully introduced via acetylene linkers by the Sonogashira coupling. 6 In order to create new types of PBI derivatives as candidates for functional molecules, we introduced two rod-like donor units involving electron-rich anthracene moieties into a PBI center to construct a rigid DAD array that tends to form segregated tabular assemblies in the solid state. Therefore, we synthesized compounds 1a and 2a having two 4-(9-anthrylethynyl)phenyl (AEP) groups at 1,6-and 1,7-positions, respectively, by the SuzukiMiyaura coupling. As far as we surveyed, anthracene units have not been adopted at the bay positions in functional PBI materials. 7 We expected that the rod-like units should not only extend the ³-conjugation but also result in strong absorption and photoinduced electron transfer. We herein report the synthesis and spectroscopic data of the new DAD type PBI derivatives. Features in their electronic spectra and electrochemical data were compared with those of phenyl analogs 1b and 2b to evaluate the role of the anthracene units.Target compounds 1a and 2a were synthesized by the SuzukiMiyaura coupling (Figure 1). 8 A mixture of dibromo-PBI derivatives 3 and 4 in a 1:4 ratio, which were difficult to separate, was prepared by bromination followed by imidation of perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride by a known method.9 Boronic acid ester 5a was prepared by the Sonogashira coupling of 2-(4-iodophenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolane 10 and 9-ethynylanthracene.11 The SuzukiMiyaura coupling of 3 and 4 with 5a was carried out in a conventional manner with [Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 ] and K 2 CO 3 (aq) in THF. From the reaction product...