The effect of the reaction medium on the final electrical performance of Pani doped with dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (DBSA), Pani.DBSA, is analyzed in this manuscript. Pani.DBSA was synthesized through the one-step route in nonaromatic media, in accordance with a mixture experimental design. Polymer samples were analyzed by UV-vis and WAXS to characterize the differences among the many prepared Pani.DBSA samples and to explain the observed conductivity and compression sensitivity characteristics. Obtained results were modeled in accordance with a standard empirical modeling approach. Based on the obtained experimental data and on the proposed empirical models, it is shown that addition of acetone and isopropanol into the aqueous media during the one-step synthesis of Pani.DBSA materials must be encouraged. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.