PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF NOVEL SOLUBLE AROMATIC POLYETHERIMIDES FROM BOXYPHENOXY)PHENYL]-1-PHENYL-2,2,2-TRIFLUOROETHANE DIANHYDRIDE AND AROMATIC DIAMINES

New aromatic polyetherimides containing the boxyphenoxy)phenyl]-1-phen yl-2,2,2-trifluoroethane dianhydride unit were prepared by a conventio nal two-step method from boxyphenoxy)phenyl]-1-phenyl-2,2,2-trifluoroe thane dianhydride and several diamines. This procedure yielded high mo lecular weight polyetherimides with inherent viscosities of 0.22-1.29 dL/g. Most of the corresponding polyetherimides were soluble in organi c solvents such as N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylformamide, N,N- dimethylacetamide, and methylene chloride under ambient temperature. T he glass transition temperatures (T-g) of these polymers were in the r ange of 207-264 degrees C and the temperatures of 10% weight loss were over 520 degrees C at a heating rate 20 degrees C/min in nitrogen. (C ) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.