A new series of conjugated polyacetylenes with conjugately linked fullerene and porphyrin groups as pendant units were prepared by a copolymerization reaction catalyzed by chloronorbornadiene rhodium(I)dimer-triethylamine ([Rh(nbd)Cl](2-)NEt3) in anhydrous CHCl3. These polymers were characterized with UV-vis spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and voltammetry.. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that the morphology of the copolymers consisted of uniform nanorods with a diameter of about 100 nm and a length of about 300 nm. Thin films of the copolymers produced steady and prompt photocurrent at an irradiation of 20.0 mW cm(-2) of white light, which was higher than that of a mixture of poly[5-(4-Ethynyl-phenyl)10,15,20-tris(4-carbomethoxyphenyl)porphyrin zinc] and C-60. (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals,Inc.