PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF POLYIMIDES, POLYAMIDES AND POLY(AMIDE-IMIDE)S BASED ON A SPIROBICHROMAN DIETHERAMINE

A novel diamine, phenoxy)-4,4,4',4'-tetramethyl-2,2'-spirobichroman (3 ), was synthesized and used as a monomer with various aromatic tetraca rboxylic dianhydrides, dicarboxylic acids and imide ring-containing di carboxylic acids, to synthesize polyimides, polyamides and poly(amide- imide)s, respectively. The polyimides 5a-f were prepared from diamine 3 and various aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydrides via a conventional two-stage procedure. The intermediate poly(amic acid)s had inherent v iscosities of 0,84-1,65 dL/g and could be thermally converted into tra nsparent, flexible, and tough polyimide films. Some polyimides were re adily soluble in polar solvents such as N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) a nd N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). The glass transition temperatures (T- g) Of these polyimides were in the range of 155-280 degrees C, and 10% weight loss temperatures were above 450 degrees C in air or nitrogen. Furthermore, a series of polyamides and poly(amide-imide)s having inh erent viscosity between 0,40-1,69 dL/g were prepared by direct polycon densation of the diamine 3 with various aromatic dicarboxylic acids an d imide ring-containing dicarboxylic acids. All the polyamides and pol y(amide-imide)s were soluble in a variety of organic solvents and coul d be solution-cast into flexible and tough films. They had T-g values in the 150-237 degrees C range and showed no significant weight loss b elow 400 degrees C in air and nitrogen atmosphere.