A new series of pi-conjugated donor-acceptor compounds (1-6) with inherent redox centers have been prepared and studied with respect to their electronic properties. The photophysical characteristics of these compounds have been studied in relation to their structures. Cyclic voltammetry and UV-vis spectroelectrochemistry were used to probe the ground-state electronic properties of the neutral and charged species. The observed electronic absorption properties of the neutral and charged molecules are explained with the help of frontier orbital structures and electrostatic potential maps obtained from density functional theory (DFT, B3LYP/6-31G) calculations. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of this series of donor-substituted phenylethynylanthronitriles with different donors was also studied. The structure-property relationship of all of the compounds is discussed.