TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preparation (claimed): (I) is produced by contacting 4,5,4',5'-tetrasubstituted-biphenyl-2,2'-diamine derivative of formula (IV) with an arylsulfonic acid in an organic solvent 180-250degreesC.Preferred Component: The arylsulfonic acid comprises mono-, di- or tri-substituted benzene ring, where one or more substituent groups is/are preferably 1-20C hydrocarbyl or 1-20C hydrocarbyl containing sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and/or silicon atoms.Preferred Method: The method further comprises alkylating the nitrogen atom of the carbazole derivative to produce a 9-functionalized carbazole derivative. It may also comprise producing a 2,7-dihalo-carbazole with hydrocarbyl substituents at the 9-position and subjecting the 2,7-dihalo-9-substituted-carbazole to a metal halogen exchange reaction at low temperature and further reaction with a tri-alkoxy-borane derivative to produce a compound (I), where R1 and R2 are boronic acid ester groups. The boronic acid ester groups are hydrolyzed to give the corresponding boronic acid groups. The method for producing the oligomer or polymer is carried out in an organic solvent.Preferred Material: The aryl sulfonic acid is dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid. The organic solvent is xylene derivative. The organic solvent is tetrahydrofuran.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Material: The oligomer or polymer is poly(9-dodecylcarbazole)-2,7-diyl; poly(9-hexyldecylcarbazole)-2,7-diyl; poly(9-(2-hexyldecyl)carbazole)-2,7-diyl; poly(3,6-dibromo-9-(2-hexadecyl)-carbazole)-2,7-diyl; or poly(3,6-dimethyl-9-(2-hexyldecyl)-carbazole)-2,7-diyl. The co-polymer is poly((2,2'-bithiophene)-5,5'-diyl-alt-co-(9-(2-hexyldecyl)-carbazole)- 2,7-diyl)); poly((2,5-bis(decyloxy)-benzene-1,4-diyl)-alt-co-(9-(2-hexyldecyl)-carbazole)-2,7-diyl)); poly((9-(2-hexyldecyl)-carbazole)-2,7-diyl)-alt-co-(naphthalene-1,4-di yl)); statistical copolymer comprising 85% of 2,7-linked-(9-(2-hexyldecyl)-carbazole) and 15% of 1,4-linked-naphthalene; statistical copolymer comprising 85% of 2,7-linked-(9-(2-hexydecyl)-3,6-dimethyl-carbazole) and 15% of 1,4-linked-naphthalene; statistical copolymer comprising 85% of 2,7-linked-(9-(2-hexyldecyl)-3,6-dimethyl-carbazole) and 15% of 1,4-linked-(2,5-bis-(n-hexyl)-benzene); statistical copolymer comprising 85% of 2,7-linked-(9-(2-hexyldecyl)-3,6-dimethyl-carbazole) and 15% of 3,8-linked-(1,10)phenanthroline; or statistical copolymer comprising 80% of 2,7-linked-(9-(2-hexyldecyl)-3,6-dimethyl-carbazole) and 20% of 4,4'-linked-(2,5-diphenyl-(1,3,4)oxadiazole. Preferred Method: The method comprises reacting a preformed polymer or co-polymer with N-bromosuccinimide or N-chlorosuccinimide, or reacting a compound (I) in a metal-catalyzed coupling reaction.Preferred Component: The film has a thickness of 0.01-200 mum.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Material: The transition metal is nickel or palladium. SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - 20 Compounds (I) are specifically claimed, e.g. 2,7-dimethyl-carbazole.    EXAMPLE - A solution of 2,2'-diamino-4,4'-dimethyl-biphenyl (5.55 g) and dodecyl benzenesulfonic acid (17.19 g) in 5-t-butyl-m-xylene (170 cm3) was refluxed for 70 hours. The solution was evaporated to dryness on heating in vacuum. The residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel-(toluene/hexane one quarter) to give 2,7-dimethyl-carbazole as a colorless powder (4.85 g), 95% yield). The purity of the product was confirmed to be greater than 99%.