The polymerization of 2,3,5,6-tetraphenylhydroquinone (or 2,2 ' ,3,3 ' ,5,5 ' -hexaphenyl-4,4 ' -dihydroxybiphenyl) with alpha ,w-tetrahydroperfluoroalkanediol and decafluorobiphenyl was carried out to synthesize a series of copolymers III (M-w = 49 100-80 900). The copolymers III are composed of arylene ether (10-30 mol %) and fluorinated alkane (90-70 mol %) moieties. The reaction of III with chlorosulfonic acid gave sulfonated polymers IV, which are soluble in polar organic solvents and form flexible and transparent films by casting from solution. The polymers TV have glass transition temperatures of 109-155 degreesC and decomposition temperatures of ca. 300 degreesC. The hydrated polymers show protonic conductivity (3.4 x 10(-3) S cm(-1)), which does not decrease at temperatures up to 170 degreesC.