Abstract
This paper is concerned with making and manipulating conjugated polymers and studying their properties, particularly their behaviour when incorporated as the active components of a field effect transistor/electro-optic switch or a light emitting diode device structure. Two examples will be discussed. In the first we will show how the Durham precursor route to polyacetylene can be manipulated via the use of living polymerization techniques using well defined Schrock ROMP initiators to produce a self-ordering polyene precursor which gives significantly improved charge carrier mobilities and device performance. The second topic discussed will concern recent work on the application of McMurray coupling to the synthesis of electroluminescent poly(arylene vinylene)s.