Syntheses of di-1-naphthyl-and di-2-naphthylpolyenes (I n, n= 1–4, 6 and I n′, n= 1–6) have been carried out by the Wittig reaction. Naphthaldehydes (III and III′), 3-naphthyl-2- propenals (V and V′), 5-naphthyl-2, 4-pentadienals (VI and VI′) and muconic aldehyde were used as carbonyl components. Naphthylmethyltriphenylphosphonium halides (IV and IV′), 3-naphthyl-2-propenyltriphenylphosphonium bromides (XI and XI′) and 5-(2- ...