SYNTHESIS AND PROPERTIES OF POLYAMIDES BASED ON A SPIROBICHROMAN BIS(ETHER-CARBOXYLIC ACID)

High molar-mass aromatic polyamides were obtained from phenoxy)-4,4,4' ,4'-tetramethyl-2,2'-spirobichroman a novel dicarboxylic acid monomer, by direct polycondensation reaction in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) w ith various aromatic diamines, using triphenyl phosphite and pyridine as condensing agents. Polyamides having inherent viscosities of 0,73-1 ,08 dL/g were obtained in quantitative yield. All the polyamides, even that derived from benzidine, are completely amorphous and readily sol uble in a variety of organic solvents such as NMP, N,N-dimethylacetami de (DMAc), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), and m-cresol. Their solutions can be cast into transparent, flexible and tough films. All the polyam ides show distinct glass transitions in the range of 182-235 degrees C on their differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) traces. The 10% weig ht loss temperatures in nitrogen and air are above 416 and 422 degrees C, respectively.