9,10-Bis-[4-(4-pentyl-cyclohexyl)-phenyl]-anthracene (BPCPA) was synthesized and characterized. Spectral results indicated that this compound is a strong blue light emitter with quantum yield of 1.0. BPCPA has also been applied as the light-emitting layer for fabrication of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) by using a 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline film as the hole blocking/electron transporting layer and N,N'-biphenyl-N,N'-bis-(1-naphenyl)-[1,1'-biphenyl]-4,4'-diamine film as the hole transporting layer. The peak emission of electroluminescence of this OLED device is at about 440 nm and its Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage color coordinates are (0.15, 0.07) at potentials of 7 to 9 V These values are very close to the standard of National Television Standards Committee for blue light (0.14, 0.08). Furthermore, BPCPA has high thermal stability with decomposition temperatures over 375 degrees C and melting point of 276.4 degrees C. BPCPA also shows a liquid crystal mesophase at 277 degrees C which indicates its potential applications in liquid crystal display. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.