Alkoxy‐Substituted Hexastyrylbenzenes

Star‐shaped compounds 2a–e with a central benzene ring and six p‐substituted, (E)‐configured styryl groups have been prepared by a sequence of three‐fold Heck and three‐fold Wittig–Horner reactions. Alkoxy chains (OC₃H₇, OC₆H₁₃, OC₁₀H₂₁, OC₁₂H₂₅) on all six arms guarantee a good solubility of 2a–d , whereas the alternating hexyloxy and cyano substitution in 2e leads to an almost insoluble push‐pull system. Irradiation into the long‐wavelength absorption of 2a–d (with λ_max values of 341–342 nm) results in a statistical photocross‐linking, which is characterized by the complete degradation of all stilbene chromophores.