Method for producing a pi-electron conjugated compound

A method for producing a π-electron conjugated compound, wherein the method comprises:

• eliminating components represented by the following General Formulas (IIa) and (IIb)) from a π-electron conjugated compound precursor represented by A-(B)m so as to form a π-electron conjugated compound represented by A-(C)m,
• wherein in A-(B)m and A-(C)m, A represents a π-electron conjugated substituent, B represents a solvent-soluble substituent containing a structure represented by the following General Formula (I), C represents a moiety containing a structure represented by the following General Formula (II), and m is a natural number, and
• wherein the solvent-soluble substituent represented by B is linked via a covalent bond with the π-electron conjugated substituent represented by A where the covalent bond is formed with a carbon atom other than those having substituents represented by X1, X2, Y1 and Y2, or is ring-fused with the π-electron conjugated substituent represented by A via other carbon atoms than those having substituents represented by X1, X2, Y1 and Y2,
• where a pair of X1 and X2 or a pair of Y1 and Y2 each represent a hydrogen atom;
• the other pair each represent a group selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom and a substituted or unsubstituted acyloxy group having one or more carbon atoms;
• a pair of the halogen atoms or the acyloxy groups represented by the pair of X1 and X2 or the pair of Y1 and Y2 may be identical or different, or may be bonded together to form a ring;
• and R1 to R4 each represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or an organic group.