A detailed spectroelectrochemical and theoretical study of thienyl derivatives based on pyrene, namely 1-(2-thienyl)-pyrene (1), 1,6-bis(2-thienyl)-pyrene (2), 1,4-bis(2-thienyl)-pyrene (3), 1,3,6-tris(2-thienyl)-pyrene (4) and 1,3,6,8-tetra(2-thienyl)-pyrene (5), and their oxidation products with focus on the formation of their corresponding cationic states are presented. Regioregular polymeric systems were prepared by means of electrochemical polymerization from monomers 2-4. The redox behavior of the corresponding polymers was studied by cyclic voltammetry and in situ EPR/UV-vis-NIR spectroelectrochemistry with the aim of obtaining details on the type of charge carriers within the polymer film. Quantum chemical calculations of the optimal geometries and optical transitions for the neutral and charged forms were performed in order to reveal the influence of electrochemical oxidation on the molecular structure of the monomers and corresponding dimers and/or polymers. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.