Carbon nanothreads are likely the most attracting new materials produced under high pressure conditions. Their synthesis is achieved by compressing crystals of different small aromatic molecules also exploiting the applied anisotropic stress to favor nontopochemical paths. The threads are nanometric hollow structures of saturated carbon atoms, reminiscent of the starting aromatic molecule, gathered in micron sized bundles. The examples collected so far suggest that their formation can be a general phenomenon, thus enabling design of functionalities and properties by suitably choosing the starting monomer on the basis of its chemical properties and crystal arrangement. The presence of heteroatoms or unsaturations within the thread is appealing for improving the processability and tuning the electronic properties. Suitable simple chromophores can fulll these requirements and their controlled insertion along …