Four new conjugated alternating vinylene-copolymers, PAP6, PAT, PA, and TAT, incorporating anthracene rings along the backbone were synthesized by Heck coupling. They were very soluble in common organic solvents and absorbed at the range of 300-500 nm with optical band gaps of 2.38-2.47 eV. They behaved in solution as green emitters, with maximum photoluminescence at 455-518 nm. Finally, these soluble copolymers were used as donor material to realize bulk heterojunction solar cell with (6,6)-C-61-butyric acid methyl ester as the acceptor. More efficient photovoltaic cells were obtained from the copolymer that carried hexyloxy than dodecyloxy side groups. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 113: 1173-1181, 2009