1,3-Phthaloyl bis-9H-carbazole (MPC) and 1,4-phthaloyl bis-9H-carbazole (PPC) were synthesized by a Friedel-Crafts reaction of carbazole with terephthaloyl chloride or isophthaloyl chloride. Homopolymers were obtained by a C-N coupling reaction with activated difluorides and copolymers were synthesized with 4,4'-biphenol as a comonomer by a nucleophilic substitution reaction between these NH- and OH-containing monomers and the activated difluoro monomers. The inherent viscosities of the polymers ranged from 0.35 to 1.03 dL/g. These polymers exhibited glass-transition temperatures greater than 238 degrees C with the PPC-containing homopolymer showing the highest value, 326.4 degrees C. The thermal stabilities indicated no significant weight loss below 450 degrees C and the temperatures of 5% weight loss ranged from 514.0 to 546.3 degrees C. The polymers showed reasonable solubility in organic solvents such as DMAC, DMSO, and NMP. UV absorption and fluorescence emission properties are presented. (C) 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 47: 4326-4331, 2009