Condensation of 9-(4-aminobenzene)-carbazole with 4,4'-difluorobenzophenone afforded a carbazole-functionalized poly(aryl amino ketone) (PAK-Cz). Similarly, a series of poly(ether ether ketone)s (PEEK-Cz) and poly(arylene ether ketone)s (PAEK-Cz) containing pendant carbazoles were synthesized from the copolymerization of 9-(4-aminobenzene)-carbazole, 4,4'-difluorobenzophenone and 4,4'-biphenol or 4,4'-isopropylidenebiphenol, respectively. The aforementioned polymers exhibited polystyrene equivalent number average molecular weights of up to 36 kDa, and were found to be thermally stable with high decomposition (T-d) (469-569 degrees C) and glass transition temperatures (T-g) (155-256 degrees C). UV vis absorption and fluorescence spectra revealed that these materials exhibited highly efficient (Phi(f) = 0.41-0.66) yellow green emission (lambda(em) = 500-514 nm) in solution. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.