The 1,4-bis{trans-3,4,5-tri-[2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethoxy] styryl} benzene (1a) and 1,4-bis {trans-3,4,5-tri-[2-(2-butoxyethoxy) ethoxy] styryl} benzene (1b) of water-soluble optically nonlinear materials have been synthesized by the highly stereoselective Wadsworth-Emmons reaction of the bis-phosphonate with the corresponding 3,4,5- trihydroxybenzaldehydes (2a) and 2b, respectively. The aldehyde 2 was prepared by the alkylation, reduction and oxidation of methyl 3,4,5- trihydroxybenzoate (5). The bis-phosphonate was prepared by the Michaelis-Arbuzov reaction using α, α'-dibromo-p-xylene and triethyl phosphite. All the new compounds were fully characterized with standard spectroscopic techniques.

Key words: DIETHENYLBENZENE;SYNTHESIS;WATER SOLUBILITY;NON LINEAR OPTICS, CHARACTERIZATION;ALKYLATION;REDUCTION;OXIDATION, NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE;MASS SPECTRA;ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS