Poly( arylene ether)s (3), (4) containing pendant benzoyl groups as precursors for novel polyxanthenes (7), (8) were prepared by nucleophilic substitution reaction of 2,5-difluoro-4-benzoylbenzophenone (1) or 2,5-difluoro-4-(4-dodecylbenzoyl)-4’-dodecylbenzophenone (2) with hydroquinone derivatives in the presence of potassium carbonate in N,N-dimethylacetamide. The polycondensation proceeded smoothly at 165 degrees C and produced poly(arylene ether)s with inherent viscosities up to 0.80 dL/g. The novel polyxanthenes were synthesized via the reduction of poly(arylene ether)s followed by the Friedel-Crafts cyclization of diol polymers. The structure of the polyxanthenes was characterized by H-1-NMR and IR spectroscopies. Polyxanthene 8 was quite soluble in chloroform and THF. The 10% weight loss temperature of polyxanthene 7 was 510 degrees C in nitrogen and it was 90 degrees C higher than the corresponding poly(arylene ether) 3.