Novel polyimides based on diamine containing thiazole units with thioether linkage and pyridine as pendent group

Three new organic-soluble polyimides (PIs) bearing flexible thioether linkages, thiazole, and pyridine ring units were synthesized from a novel thioether-bridged diamine monomer and commercially available aromatic dianhydrides (1–3) via chemical imidization method. The resulting polymers were obtained in high yields and possessed inherent viscosities in the range of 0.67–0.89. The PIs are characterized by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). All of the PIs exhibited excellent solubility in polar solvent. The polymers showed good thermal stability with glass transition temperatures ( T g s) in the range of 194–244°C, and decomposition temperatures ( T 5 %) exceeding 300°C were observed using TGA in nitrogen atmosphere for the current polymers.