Patent ID: 7102017

Claim:
A process comprising: subjecting a reaction mixture comprising a reaction medium, a coupling agent, and a precursor to a coupling temperature to preferentially form a desired small molecular thiophene compound in a single-step synthesis, wherein the precursor consists of: (i) an optional divalent linkage, and (ii) a plurality of thiophene units, each thiophene unit being represented by structure (A) wherein each thiophene unit is bonded at either or both of the second ring position and the fifth ring position, wherein m is 0, 1, or 2, wherein each thiophene unit is the same or different from each other in terms of substituent number, substituent identity, and substituent position, wherein each R 1 is independently selected from the group consisting of: (a) a hydrocarbon group, (b) a heteroatom containing group, and (c) a halogen.