A dendritic monomer with bipolar side groups containing dendritic carbazole and oxadiazole structures was synthesized by a convergent strategy. The homopolymer was synthesized through a conventional radical polymerization. The number-average molecular weight determined by gel permeation chromatography was 40,000 g/mol. Its 5% weight loss temperature was 358 degrees C. Its photophysical properties were studied in solution and in film. The photoluminescent emission peak of the film was at 408 nm, which had a blue shift of 9 nm compared with that of the tetrahydrofuran solution. And there was an energy transfer from oxadiazole to carbazole. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lower unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) levels calculated from cyclic voltammetry data were -5.55 and -2.52 eV, respectively, and the band gap was 3.03 eV, which suggested that the polymer had both hole- and electron-transporting capabilities. The efficiencies of the single-layer device based on this homopolymer were much higher than those of the same-generation homopolymer without the oxadiazole moiety. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 50: 581-589, 2012