A soluble poly（meta-phenylene） derivative with rigid twisted biphenyl unit was synthesized by the Yamamoto coupling reaction. The polymer is soluble in common organic solvents, and the number-average molecular weight is about 6500. The UV-Vis and quantum chemical calculation indicate that the different conformation segments named ＂conformers＂ exist in the polymer backbones; it was also further confirmed by the single crystal X-ray diffraction study of the dimeric model compound. The π-π^＊ transition of biphenyl segments of twisted and planar conformations made the polymer exhibit a strong absorption around 256 nm and a weak absorption at about 300 nm. Furthermore, the polymer exhibits a strong UV photoluminescence at 372 nm when the excitation wavelengths are longer than 300 run. The ultraviolet-emitting electroluminescence（EL） device with the single layer structure shows EL λmax of the derivative at 370 nm.
ZHENG Yan YANG Bing ZHANG Hai-quan LU Ping SHEN Fang-zhong LIU Lin-lin XU Hai YANG Guang-di MA Yu-guang
