Novel near-Infrared emissive BODIPY polymeric dyes (polymers A and B) were prepared by Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction of 2,6-diiodo BODIPY dyes bearing one and two styryl groups at 3,5 positions (5, 6) with 2,6-diethynyl BODIPY dye, respectively. These polymeric dyes (A and B) display absorption maxima at 697 and 738 nm, and emission maxima at 715 and 760 nm, respectively. These polymeric dyes exhibit significant red shifts in absorption and emission maxima due to their extended pi-conjugation systems compared with their BODIPY monomeric dyes. The thin films of polymers A and B display further red shift with emission maxima 764 and 810 nm, respectively. Near-infrared BODIPY copolymeric dye (C) was prepared by Sonogashira polymerization of 2,6-diiodo BODIPY dye bearing two styryl groups with 2,5-diethynyl-3-decylthiophene. For comparison in optical properties, deep-red and red emissive BODIPY copolymeric dyes (D and E) were prepared by Sonogashira polymerization of 2,6-diiodo BODIPY dye bearing monostyryl group and 2,6-diiodo BODIPY dye with 2,5-diethynyl-3-decylthiothene, respectively. These polymers display their absorption maxima at 649 nm and 634 nm, and emission maxima at 694 nm and 669 nm, respectively. All the polymers displayed good thermal stability and solubility in dichloromethane, and their lifetimes ranged from 0.7 to 3.4 ns. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.