New amorphous poly(arylene ether ketone)s with amide substituents were prepared via nucleophilic nitro displacement reaction. The dinitro monomer, 1,4-bis[4-nitro-3-(1-piperidylcarbonyl)benzoyl]benzene, was synthesized through a masked acyl anion equivalent, bis(aminoacetonitrile). The weight average molecular weight (M W ) of the polymers is about 40 000. the glass transition temperature around 200 C. The polymers are soluble in common organic solvents such as chloroform, 1,1,2-trichloroethane, and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). The polymer from the dinitro monomer and bisphenol A is easily cast into a transparent and flexible freestanding film. 5% weight loss temperatures of the polymers are in the range from 409-418 C under N 2 .