Synthesis and thermal properties of aryl‐substituted rod‐like polyimides

Abstract

Abstract This article describes the synthesis and thermal characterization of novel aryl‐substituted rod‐like homopolyimides. Synthetic aspects of monomer syntheses and one‐step polymer synthesis in m ‐cresol are presented. Polyimides with rod‐like chain structure are based on monophenylated pyromellitic dianhydride (MPPMDA), diphenylated pyromellitic dianhydride (DPPMDA), and as rod‐like diamine units on phenylated para ‐phenylene diamine and 1,1′‐binaphthyl‐4,4′‐diamine. As partial flexible units, which have the possibility to be converted into an extended chain conformation, commercially available 3,3′,4,4′‐biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA) and 3,4′‐oxydianiline (3,4′‐ODA) were used. The polyimides were investigated with respect to solution properties and thermal behavior. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.