New anthracene-based polyethers, anthracene/bisphenol A (An-BPA) and anthracene/fluorinated bisphenol A (An-BPAF), were synthesized and characterized. An-BPA and An-BPAF were fully soluble in common organic solvents and had number-average molecular weights of 2580 and 3240, respectively. The optical properties of the polymers were investigated with ultraviolet-visible absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Blue photoluminescence was observed in dilute solutions. In solid thin films, p-p interactions influenced the optical properties, and redshifted photoluminescence spectra were obtained; a green emission (504 nm) for An-BPAF and a green-yellow emission (563 nm) for An-BPA were found. By cyclic voltammetry, the electrochemical band gap was estimated to be 2.72 and 3.05 eV for An-BPA and An-BPAF, respectively. Single-layer diode devices of an indium tin oxide/polyether/aluminum configuration were fabricated and showed relatively low turn-on voltages (3.5 V for An-BPA and 3.7 V for An-BPAF). (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 119: 1443-1449, 2011