Six aromatic compounds with embedded thiophenes differing in the number of rings (2-5) and thiophene orientation along the long axis of the molecule (syn, anti) were investigated. Photophysical properties, steady-state absorption, fluorescence, phosphorescence, lifetimes, quantum yields, and a comprehensive time-resolved spectroscopic analysis (femtosecond and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy) have been studied as a function of molecular structure.