High molecular weight polymer containing N-methylisatin was synthesized by superacid-catalyzed polyhydroxyalkylation reactions. Their functionality with sulfonic acid groups and the measurement of apposite parameters for proton exchange membranes (PEMs) were described. Sulfonic acid groups were introduced into the polymer through sulfonation reaction with chlorosulfonic acid. The membranes were casted from the solution of sulfonated polymer in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). The structural properties of the synthesized polymers were investigated by H-1 NMR spectroscopy. The membranes were studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), ion exchange capacity (IEC), water uptake, dimensional stability and proton conductivity assessment. Different levels of sulfonation and ion exchange were tested; the resulting membranes exhibited high proton conductivities of up to 88.63 mS/cm. The sulfonated membranes showed good dimensional stability owing to having all carbon-carbon linkages on polymers' backbone. (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.