A process for preparing a substituted or unsubstituted 9,10-diaryl anthracene including reacting a substituted or unsubstituted anthracene with a halogenating agent to yield a halogenated anthracene, and reacting the halogenated anthracene with an aryl boronic acid or a boronic ester to yield the substituted or unsubstituted 9,10-diaryl anthracene is disclosed. An electroluminescent device comprising a light-emitting layer comprising the substituted or unsubstituted 9,10-diaryl anthracene is also disclosed.