Six novel disubstituted phenylene-linked bis-imidazole derivatives, 3a -3f, were prepared by a onepot, microwave-assisted method under solvent-free conditions, in yields ranging from 61.6 to 85.6%. The new compounds were characterized by 1 H-and 13 C-NMR, UV/VIS, and fluorescence spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry, as well as by elemental analyses. The influence of substituents and solvents on the optical properties of 3a -3f was investigated. It was found that there is little influence on absorption and excitation spectra in contrast to emission spectra. Compounds 3a -3f exhibit strong fluorescence in solution, their fluorescence quantum yields ranging from 0.27 to 0.96. [14 -18]. Among these molecular fluorophores, phenylene-linked bis-imidazole derivatives have been used due to their unique optical properties [19 -21]. In addition, they can be used in two-photon fluorescence and as pH probe [22] [23]. To the best of our knowledge, several reports on the synthesis and on the physical properties of tetrasubstituted phenylene-linked bis-imidazole compounds have been published [24 -29], and the synthesis of phenylene-linked bis-imidazole compounds was only accomplished by condensation of 1,2-dicarbonyl compounds and aldehydes with NH 3 . However, to our surprise, studies on the synthesis and optical properties of disubstituted phenylene-linked bis-imidazole compounds were limited. In 1975, Mahadik and Sunthankar [30] reported the synthesis of some N,N'-disubstituted phenylene-linked bis-imidazoles with yields of 50 -60%. Since then, there were no reports on these compounds, except for the one of Jadhav and co-workers [24] in 2008, who described the synthesis of 2,2'-(1,4-phenylene)bis[5-phenyl-1H-imidazole] only, without giving any optical properties. Considering the above reports, the synthesis of novel disubstituted phenylene-linked bis-imidazoles and the study of the underlying structure -property relationships was a challenge.In this article, a microwave-assisted and solvent-free method for the synthesis of 5-aryl-substituted phenylene-linked bis-imidazoles is reported, involving condensation of benzene-1,4-dicarboximidamidium dichloride with 1-aryl-2-bromoethanones in the presence of using KHCO 3 as acid-binding agent. The six novel disubstituted phenylenelinked bis-imidazole derivatives 3a -3f were synthesized, characterized, and their optical properties investigated.