Four conjugated polymers (P1-P4) consisting of alternating anthracene-9,10-diyl and 1,4-phenylene building blocks connected via ethynylene as well as vinylene (P1 and P2), ethynylene-only (P3), and vinylene-only (P4) moieties, respectively, were synthesized and studied. The phenylene units in all four polymers bear 2-ethylhexyloxy side-chains to promote good solubility. The three polymers with vinylene units (P1, P2, and P4) were prepared using the Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons reaction. For the synthesis of the arylene-ethynylene polymer P3, the palladium-catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction was used. The polymers were characterized by NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Photophysical, absorption and photoluminescence, and electrochemical properties were studied. Spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements were performed to gain more insight on the optical properties. In addition, the transport properties were investigated using admittance spectroscopy. The bulk hole mobility and its dependence on the electric field were evaluated for P1 and P2. (c) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 129-143