Aromatic polyamides derived from unsymmetrical diamines containing the phthalazinone moiety

Two unsymmetrical and kink non‐coplanar heterocyclic diamines, 1,2‐dihydro‐2‐(4‐aminophenyl)‐4‐[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)phenyl](2H)phthalazin‐1‐one and 1,2‐dihydro‐2‐(4‐aminophenyl)‐4‐[4‐(4‐aminophenoxy)‐3,5‐dimethylphenyl](2H) phthalazin‐1‐one, were successfully synthesized by readily available heterocyclic bisphenol‐like monomers through two steps in high yields. A series of novel poly(arylene ether amides)s containing the phthalazinone moiety with inherent viscosities of 1.16–1.67 dL/g were prepared by the direct polymerization of novel diamines and aromatic dicarboxylic acids using triphenyl phosphite and pyridine as condensing agents. The polymers were readily soluble in a variety of solvents such as N,N‐dimethylformamide, N,N‐dimethylacctamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, and even in pyridine, chloroform and m‐cresol. The glass‐transition temperatures were in the range of 291–329 °C, and the temperatures for 5% weight loss in nitrogen were above 490 °C.