Two nitro-substituted 1,4-distyrylbenzene-like compounds have been investigated using stationary and time-resolved (ns/fs) spectrometric techniques as a function of solvent polarity. In the two compounds the central benzene ring is substituted with a p-nitrostyryl group at one side while, at the other side, compound 1 (asymmetric) bears a pyrid-4-ylethenyl group and compound 2 (symmetric) anoth...