Electronic and vibrational properties of phenylene-based oligomers from biphenyl P2P to para-sexiphenil P6P, and their dependence on torsion angle are calculated using semiempirical quantum mechanic (AM1, ZINDO/S) and ab initio linear combination of atomic orbitals methods. The systematic relations between molecular size and geometry, and numerous molecular properties have been established, providing the basis both for the spectroscopic identification of different structures that could appear during material processing and for tailoring of devices with desired properties. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.