A series of polyisophthalamides and polyisophthalates having perfluorinated side chains were prepared from 5-perfluoroalkylisophthaloyl dichlorides. The aromatic polyamides and polyarylates synthesized by conventional low temperature solution polycondensation and interfacial polycondensation, respectively, had inherent viscosities of 0.19 to 1.28 dL g(-1) in yields of 65 to 100%. Solubilies of the resulting polymers were improved by incorporating nonafluorobutyl groups but not improved by incorporating heptadecafluorooctyl groups. Although the effect on the glass transition temperature (T-g) of incorporating perfluoroalkyl groups into the aromatic polyamides or polyarylate backbone is great, the incorporation maintained the thermal stability of the polymers. In spite of the rigid nature of perfluoroalkyl groups, T(g)s were decreased by incorporating perfluoroalkyl groups. The value of the contact angle of water on the aromatic polyamides films gradually increased with incorporation of the perfluoroalkyl groups. On the other hand, the value of the contact angle remarkably increased when perfluoroalkyl groups were incorporated into polyarylates. The Owens ys were also calculated for some aromatic polyamides by measuring contact angles of diiodomethane on the polymer films. The gamma s were estimated at 23-37 mN m(-1) and about 10% of them were contributed by hydrogen bonding.