| Abstract: | A series of new aromatic poly(amide‐imide)s were synthesized by the triphenyl phosphite‐activated polycondensation of the diimide‐diacid, 2,5‐bis(trimellitimido)chlorobenzene (I) with various aromatic diamines in a medium consisting of N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP), pyridine, and calcium chloride. The poly(amide‐imide)s had inherent viscosities of 0.76–1.42 dL g−1. The diimide‐diacid monomer (I) was prepared from 2‐chloro‐p‐phenylenediamine with trimellitic anhydride. Most of the resulting polymers showed an amorphous nature and were readily soluble in a variety of organic solvents, including NMP and N,N‐dimethylacetamide. Transparent, flexible, and tough films of these polymers could be cast from N,N‐dimethylacetamide or NMP solutions. Their cast films had tensile strengths ranging from 74 to 95 MPa, elongations at break from 7 to 11%, and initial moduli from 1.38 to 3.25 GPa. The glass transition temperatures of these polymers were in the range of 233°–260°C, and the 10% weight loss temperatures were above 450°C in nitrogen. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 71: 1691–1701, 1999 |
