Novel cyano-substituted benzothiazoles (Schemes 1 and 2) were synthesized, which possess an extended conjugated system. Compound 6 consists of two benzothiazole units with bis (4-vinylphenyl) acrylonitrile as a bridging group and compound 12 was two benzothiazole units and two dodecyloxy bis(4-vinylphenyl)-acrylonitrile units. Absorption and fluorescence properties were studied for compounds 6 and 12.
