Benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene is used as a reagent in the synthesis of high-crystalline medium-band-gap polymers used for organic photovoltaic cells. Benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene is also a precursor in the preparation of benzodithiophene derivatives which are useful as hole injection material, hole transport material, or fluorescent material in organic electroluminescence devices.