Process for preparing conjugated polymers

A process for preparing conjugated polymers which comprises contacting (i) monomers having two reactive groups selected from boronic acid, C1-C6 boronic acid ester, C1-C6 borane, and combinations thereof, with aromatic dihalide-functional monomers or (ii) monomers having one reactive boronic acid, boronic acid ester, or borane group and one reactive halide-functional group, with each other; (wherein the monomers are selected so that the polymerization reaction product of such has conjugated unsaturated internal groups) in a reaction mixture which contains: (a) an organic solvent in which the polymer forms at least a 1 percent solution; (b) an aqueous solution of an inorganic base having a pKa in the range of from 9 to 13, said solution having a concentration of at least 0.1N; (c) a catalytic amount of a palladium complex; and (d) at least 0.01 mole percent of a phase transfer catalyst, based on the number of moles of boronic acid, boric acid ester, and borane groups in the reaction mixture; under reaction conditions sufficient to form the corresponding conjugated polymer.