Three series of new aromatic polyether sulfones bearing phenyl, p-tolyl or carboxyl side groups, respectively, and polar pyridine main chain groups were developed. Most of the polymeric materials presented high molecular weights and excellent solubility in common organic solvents. More importantly, they formed stable, self-standing membranes that were thoroughly characterized in respect to their thermal, mechanical and oxidative stability, their phosphoric acid doping ability and ionic conductivity. Particularly, the copolymers bearing side p-tolyl or carboxyl groups fulfill all necessary requirements for application as proton electrolyte membranes in high temperature fuel cells, which are glass transition temperatures higher than 220 degrees C, thermal stability up to 400 degrees C, oxidative stability, high doping levels (DLs) and proton conductivities of about 0.02 S/cm. Initial single fuel cell results at high temperatures, 160 degrees C or 180 degrees C, using a copolymer bearing p-tolyl side groups with a relatively low DLs around 200 wt % and dry H-2/Air feed gases, revealed efficient power generation with a current density of 0.5 A/cm(2) at 500 mV. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 49: 4325-4334, 2011