Bridged Bisimide Polysilsesquioxane Xerogels:  New Hybrid Organic−Inorganic Materials

New hybrid organic−inorganic materials which incorporate the bisimide functionality were synthesized by sol−gel condensation of bisimide monomers containing pendant triethoxysilyl groups. Monomers were prepared by transimidation of bis (2-aminopyridyl)imides with (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane. This synthesis was applicable to a variety of commercially available bisanhydrides and did not result in the evolution of water which causes premature hydrolysis and condensation of the trialkoxysilyl group. Solid-state NMR ( 29 Si, 13 C, and 15 N) was utilized to characterize the polysilsesquioxane bis-imides. Nitrogen sorption porosimetry was used to determine the surface area. The thermal and mechanical characteristics of the resultant materials were measured and compared to linear polyimides.