TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preparation (Claimed): Preparation of (I) (methyl 4,7-dibromo-5,6-dimethoxy-N-rnethyl-1H-indole-2-carboxylate (DBI)) comprises reacting vanillin to form DBI. Preferred Method: The method comprises: methylating vanillin to yield 3,4-dimethoxy-benzaldehyde (2a); nitrating (2a) to yield 4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitro-benzaldehyde (3a); brominating the (3a) to yield 2,5-dibromo-3,4-dimethoxy-6-nitrobenzaldehyde (4a); reacting (4a) using methyl bromoacetate in aqueous sodium bicarbonate to yield (E)-3-(2,5-dibromo-3,4-dimethoxy-6-nitro-phenyl)-acrylic acid methyl ester (5a); and reacting (5a) by microwave-assisted or conventional Cadogan synthesis to yield 4,7-dibromo-5,6-dimethoxy-3a,7a-dihydro-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester (7a). Preferred Components: The solvent is dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran chloroform, toluene, xylene, dimethylformamide, chlorobenzene, o-dichlorobenzene, trichlorobenzene, dimethylsulfoxide, methanol, ethanol or water. The fullerene is (6,6)-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methylester.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - POLYMERS - Preferred Components: (II) is substituted polyindole compounds of formula (IIa). Preferred Definitions:    Protecting moiety = 1-20C optionally branched or optionally substituted alkyl, PEG, carbamate, acetamide, benzyl, or tosylamide.    SPECIFIC COMPOUNDS - Compound (I) is specifically claimed i.e. methyl 4,7-dibromo-5,6-dimethoxy-N-rnethyl-1H-indole-2-carboxylate of formula (Ia).    EXAMPLE - Vanillin was methylated to give dimethoxybenzaldehyde, which was nitrated to yield 4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitro-benzaldehyde (E3). (E3) was brominated using N-bromosuccinimide resulted in 2,5-dibromo-3,4-dimethoxy-6-nitrobenzaldehyde (E4). (E4) was reacted using methyl bromoacetate in aqueous sodium bicarbonate to yield (E)-3-(2,5-dibromo-3,4-dimethoxy-6-nitro-phenyl)-acrylic acid methyl ester (E5), followed by microwave-assisted Cadogan synthesis to afford 4,7-dibromo-5,6-dimethoxy-3a,7a-dihydro-1H-indole-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester (95% yield).