A new acyl-functionalized poly(p-phenylene) (Ac-PPP) was synthesized by Yamamoto cross-coupling and chemically modified to obtain an anthracene-containing derivative (An-PPP). The chemical structures of the polymers were confirmed by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and FTIR spectroscopic analysis. They are fully soluble in common organic solvents and have number-average molecular weight of 2.70 x 10(3) and 5.26 x 10(3) g mol-1 for Ac-PPP and An-PPP, respectively. The optical properties of the polymers were investigated by UVvisible absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopies. A green emission was observed in Ac-PPP solid thin film and a yellow one in the anthracene-containing polymer An-PPP. The optical bandgap values were 3.21 and 3.08 eV for Ac-PPP and An-PPP, respectively. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012