Synthesis and characterization of organosoluble ditrifluoromethylated aromatic polyimides

Two novel diamine monomers, 1,4‐bis (4‐aminophenoxy)‐2‐[(3′,5′‐ditrifluoromethyl)phenyl]benzene and 1,4‐bis [2′‐cyano‐3′(4″‐amino phenoxy)phenoxy]‐2‐[(3′,5′‐ditrifluoromethyl)phenyl] benzene, were synthesized from (3,5‐ditrifluoromethyl)phenylhydroquinone. A series of ditrifluoromethylated aromatic polyimides derived from the diamines were prepared through a typical two‐step polymerization method. These polyimides had a high thermal stability, and the temperatures at 10% weight loss were above 507 °C in nitrogen. Most of the polymers showed good solubility in anhydrated 1‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, N,N‐dimethylformamide, chloroform, and tetrahydrofuran at room temperature. All the polymers formed transparent, strong, and flexible films with tensile strengths of 63.6–95.8 MPa, elongations at break of 5–10%, and Young's moduli of 2.38–2.96 GPa. The dielectric constants estimated from the average refractive indices are 2.69–2.89.