Three donor-acceptor type pi-conjugated monomers containing 2, 1, 3-benzothiadiazole (Tz) as the acceptor unit and different thiophene derivatives (thiophene, 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene, and thieno[3,2-b]thiophene) as the donor units have been synthesized via Stille coupling reaction. The corresponding polymers are electrochemically deposited onto FTO glass by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The maximum absorption wavelength of the neutral polymers varies with the electron-rich character of incorporated thiophene moieties, giving rise to tunable colors. In addition, the prepared polymer films demonstrate reasonable transmittance modulation, fast switching rate, high color efficiency and good stability, which meet the requirements of smart windows and electrochromic display applications. (C) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.