A series of short oligo (p-phenylene-ethynylene)-and oligo (p-phenylenevinylene)-type molecular rods with an electronically rich thiophene or thieno [3, 2-b] thiophene core unit and sulfur anchoring groups (AcS−, t-BuS−) at the termini have been synthesised using Sonogashira coupling or Horner–Wadsworth–Emmons (E)-olefination methodology. The collection of linear/bent, conjugated/cross-conjugated systems has been characterised by ...