A new category of linear poly(ether-ketone)s IVa-d and copoly(ether-ketone)s Va-f containing diarylidenecycloalkanone moieties in the main chain has been synthesized by solution polycondensation of 4,4'-bis (chloroacetyl)diphenylether I, with different phenoxides of diarylidenecycloalkanones IIa-d. The model compound III was synthesized from the monomer I with sodium phenoxide in DMF and K2CO3, and its structure was confirmed by elemental and spectral analyses. The resulting polyketones and copolyketones were characterized by elemental and spectral analyses, beside solubility and viscometry measurements. The thermal properties of those polymers were evaluated by TGA and DTA measurements and correlated to their structural units. X-ray analysis showed that polyrners having some degree of crystallinity in the region 20 = 5-60 degrees. In addition, the biological screening and morphological properties of selected examples of the polymers were tested. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.