A new soluble fluorescent polymer, poly[2-decyloxy-5-(2 '-(6 '-dodecyl-oxy)naphthyl)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] (DDN-PPV), with no tolane-bisbenzyl (TBB) structure defects is prepared by the dehydrohalogenation of 1,4-bis(bromomethyl)-2-decyloxy-5-(2 '-(6 '-dodecyloxy)naphthyl)benzene (as monomer) in this study. The aforementioned monomer is synthesized via such chemical reactions as alkylation, bromination, and Suzuki coupling reactions. The structure and properties of the DDN-PPV are examined by H-1 NMR, FTIR, UV/vis, TGA, photoluminescence (PL), and electroluminescence (EL) analyses. The two asymmetric decyloxy and 6 '-dodecyloxynaphthyl substituents on the phenylene ring make the DDN-PPV soluble in organic solvents and eliminate the TBB structure defects. With the DDN-PPV acting as a light-emitting polymer, a device is fabricated with a sequential lamination of ITO/PEDOT/DDN-PPV/Ca/Ag. The EL spectrum of the device shows a maximum emission at 538 nm. The turn on voltage of the device is about 16.6 V. Its maximum brightness is 14 cd/m(2) at a voltage of 18.2 V. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.