The new monomer, 1,2-bis(4-chlorobenzoyl)-3,6-diphenylbenzene, was synthesized from the Frieldel Craft reaction of chlorobenzene and fumaryl chloride followed by the Diels Alder reaction. Poly(diketonephenylene)s containing the dibenzoyl moiety in the side chains were synthesized from 1,2-bis(4-chlorobenzoyl)-3,6-diphenylbenzene and 1,4dichloro-2,5-dibenzoylbenzene as a reactive monomer. The polymerization was performed employing a Ni/Zn catalyzed carbon carbon coupling reaction followed by a sulfonation reaction with chlorosulfuric acid. These polymers consisted of diketone in the main chain and dibenzoyl in the side chain, which consisted of four active phenyl groups for sulfonation. A series of membranes was studied via H-1 NMR spectroscopy, ion exchange capacity (IEC), water uptake, and proton conductivity analyses. The thermal and chemical stability of the prepared membrane is then characterized through a thermogravimetric investigation.(C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC.