Polyamides and polyimides featuring a spirobifluorene unit as a structure directing motif in the polymer chain show intrinsic microporosity and consequently high surface areas. Such a spirobifluorene generates a 90 degrees kink per repeating unit and thus prevents space-efficient packing or crystallization of the otherwise stiff polymer chains. Thus, the approach presented here extends the concept of polymers of intrinsic microporosity for ladder type poly(dibenzodioxane)s to more common polymers of high commercial interest. For example, a microporous polyimide with a surface area of approximate to 550 m(2) center dot g(-1) was produced, which is readily soluble in chloroform.