Oligoarylenes with three or four aromatic rings, bearing two
S-acetylated mercaptomethyl groups in 1,3 position on oneend of the polyaromatic system and presenting variousfunctionalities on the other terminal ring, have been synthesized by the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction. Theuse of palladium complexes with a Buchwald's phosphineas ligand allowed us to perform this coupling reaction alsoin the presence of benzylic
S-acetyl-protected functionalitieson the aromatic halide. The obtained oligoarylenes arepotential novel candidates for the generation of self-assembling monolayers on metal substrates.