Twenty five samples of 4,4'-disubstituted stilbene derivatives were synthesized, and their UV absorption max wavelengths were determined in over 10 kinds of solvents including cyclohexane, ether, chloroform, acetonitrile and ethanol, in which 242 experimental data were recorded. The effects of substituents and solvents on the energy of their UV absorption max wavelengths were discussed. The research results showed: the energy of UV absorption max wavelengths of 4,4'-disubstituted stilbenes was mainly affected by their intramolecular structure (substituent effect) in a given solvent, that is, the energy is dominated by both of excited-state substituent parameter o-~c and polar substituent constant crp. While their energy was dominated by the substituent effect and solvent effect in different kinds of solvents. An equation quantifying the energy of UV absorption max wavelengths of 4,4'-disubstituted stilbenes was developed. In addition, it is found that the n-octanol/water partition coefficient (logP) is more effective than the solvatochromic dye (ET(30)) in scaling the solvent effect. The equation employed the parameter logP has a better correlation and more specific physical meaning. Further, the energies of UV absorption max wavelengths of some reported compounds were predicted by the obtained equation, which are in agreement with their experimental values.
