Synthesis and characterization of photosensitive polyimides from methylthiomethyl-substituted 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethanes and 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride

A series of novel polyimides are synthesized by the reaction of 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonete-tracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) with four methylthiomethyl-substituted aromatic diamines: 3-methylthiomethyl-4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane ( I ), 3,3′-dimethylthiomethyl-4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane ( II ), 3,3′,5-trimethylthiomethyl-4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane ( III ), and 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylthiomethyl-4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane ( IV ) in refluxing m-cresol. The polyimide of diamine I and BTDA carrying only one pendant methylthiomethyl group in a repeating unit is readily soluble in m-cresol, chloroform, and polar aprotic solvents. Increasing the number of the pendant group results in higher solubility. These fully imidized polyimides are also intrinsically photosensitive. The fraction of photoreactive benzophenone sites that relates to the rate and degree of completion of photocrosslinking reaction increases systematically with the increase of the pendant group content. As the average number of the pendant group in a repeating unit reaches 3, 63% of benzophenone sites are found to be photoreactive. These methylthiomethyl-substituted polyimides possess moderate tensile strength which falls in the range of 67–81 MPa. As a result of the increase of methylthiomethyl content, this type of polyimide reveals higher glass transition temperature but lower thermal stability due to the considerable dimension of the pendant group and the ready cleavage nature of the C? S bond. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Comparative study on polyimides from isomeric 3,3′‐, 3,4′‐, and 4,4′‐linked bis(thioether anhydride)s

Three isomeric bis(thioether anhydride) monomers, 4,4′‐bis(2,3‐dicarboxyphenylthio) diphenyl ketone dianhydride (3,3′‐PTPKDA), 4,4′‐bis(3,4‐dicarboxyphenylthio) diphenyl ketone dianhydride (4,4′‐PTPKDA), and 4‐(2,3‐dicarboxyphenylthio)‐4′‐(3,4‐dicarboxyphenylthio) diphenyl ketone dianhydride (3,4′‐PTPKDA), were prepared through multistep reactions. Their structures were determined via Fourier transform infrared, NMR, and elemental analysis. Three series of polyimides (PIs) were prepared from the obtained isomeric dianhydrides and aromatic diamines in N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NMP) via the conventional two‐step method. The PIs showed excellent solubility in common organic solvents such as chloroform, N,N‐dimethylacetamide, and NMP. Their glass‐transition temperatures decreased according to the order of PIs on the basis of 3,3′‐PTPKDA, 3,4′‐PTPKDA, and 4,4′‐PTPKDA. The 5% weight loss temperatures (T_5%) of all PIs in nitrogen were observed at 504–519 °C. The rheological properties of isomeric PI resins based on 3,3′‐PTPKDA/4,4′‐oxydianiline/phthalic anhydride showed lower complex viscosity and better melt stability compared with the corresponding isomers from 4,4′‐ and 3,4′‐PTPKDA. In addition, the PI films based on three isomeric dianhydrides and 2,2′‐bis(trifluoromethyl)benzidine had a low moisture absorption of 0.27–0.35%. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2011     

Synthesis and properties of organosoluble poly(amide imide imide)s based on tetraimide dicarboxylic acid condensed from 4,4′‐(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride, 4,4′‐oxydianiline,and trimellitic anhydride and various aromatic diamines

A novel tetraimide dicarboxylic acid was synthesized with the ring‐opening addition of 4,4′‐(hexafluoroisopropylidene)diphthalic anhydride, 4,4′‐oxydianiline, and trimellitic anhydride in a 1/2/2 molar ratio in N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone followed by azeotropic condensation to tetraimide dicarboxylic acid. A series of poly(amide imide imide)s (PAIIs) with inherent viscosities of 0.8–1.1 dL/g were prepared from tetraimide dicarboxylic acid with various aromatic diamines by direct polycondensation. Most of the PAIIs were readily soluble in a variety of amide polar solvents and even in less polar m‐cresol and pyridine. Solvent‐cast films had tensile strengths ranging from 99 to 106 MPa, elongations at break ranging from 8 to 13%, and initial moduli ranging from 2.0 to 2.3 GPa. The glass‐transition temperatures of these PAIIs were recorded at 244–276 °C. They had 10% weight losses at temperatures above 520 °C in air or nitrogen atmospheres. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1092–1102, 2002     

Shear‐enhanced crystallization of a thermoplastic polyimide derived from 3,3′,4,4′‐oxydiphthalic dianhydride and 4,4′‐oxydianiline

The aim of this work is to investigate the effect of consecutive shear on the crystallization of an amorphous aromatic polyimide (PI) derived from 3,3 ′ ,4,4 ′ ‐oxydiphthalic dianhydride (3,3 ′ ,4,4 ′ ‐ODPA) and 4,4 ′ ‐oxydianiline (ODA). At 260 °C, the increase of shear rate or shear time leads to the increase of crystallinity. Indeed, increasing shear rate can also accelerate the crystallization behavior. Moreover, it was found that a new melting peak appeared at higher temperature for long time or high rate sheared sample. The enhancement of crystallization behavior appears directly linked to the increase of crystal thickness. Particularly, the effect of shear temperature was investigated, and the results revealed that the crystallization of the PI was more sensitive to shear at 260 °C, which was 10° above the glass transition temperature (250 °C) of the PI. Possible mechanism was proposed to illustrate the effect of consecutive shear on the crystallization of the PI polymer. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 2344–2349, 2007     

The effect of morphology on sorption and transport of carbon dioxide in a polyimide from 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride and 4,4′-oxydianiline

Sorption and transport of CO₂ have been investigated for polyimide films prepared from 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA) and 4,4′-oxydianilline (ODA) as well as for a chemically identical commercial polyimide film, Upilex-R. The BPDA-ODA polyimide films annealed above the glass transition temperature (270°C) are found to have some degree of ordering owing to molecular aggregation of polymer chains, whereas the films as-cast are amorphous. The solubility, permeability, and diffusion coefficients decrease significantly with increasing density or increasing average degree of molecular aggregation. The influence of morphology on the parameters in the dual-mode sorption and transport model has also been investigated. With an increase in density, the Langmuir capacity constant and the diffusion coefficients for Henry's law and Langmuir populations decrease by a larger factor than the Henry's law solubility constant. These results can be tentatively interpreted by assuming either a one-phase or two-phase structure for these polyimide films.     

Synthesis and properties of polyimides from 4,4′-binaphthyl-1,1′,8,8′-tetracarboxylic dianhydride

4,4′-Binaphthyl-1,1′,8,8′-tetracarboxylic dianhydride was synthesized from 4-chloro-1,8-naphthalic anhydride and polymerized with aromatic and pliphatic diamines in m-cresol or N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP). The polyimides, except for two derived from p-phenylenediamine and hydrazine, are soluble in 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane and NMP. Their intrinsic viscosities ranged from 0.36 to 2.20 dL/g. The polymers showed excellent thermal and thermooxidative stabilities and displayed weak glass transition temperatures. Young's moduli of some polymer films were in the range of 2.5 and 5.4 GPa at 30°C. The aliphatic polyimides exhibited a stronger fluorescence than the aromatic polyimides. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Sorption and transport of carbon dioxide in a polyimide from 3,3′4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride and 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone

CO₂ sorption and transport were investigated for the polyimide prepared from 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA) and 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfone (DDS). The morphology of films did not change on annealing above the glass transition temperature and remained amorphous unlike the polyimide prepared from BPDA and 4,4′-oxydianilline (ODA). This seems to be due to the strong hindrance to rotation of the sulfonyl linkage. Sorption and transport data were analyzed according to the dual-mode model. Solubility, diffusion, and permeability coefficients at 20 atm and 80°C for BPDA-DDS polyimide were substantially equal between as-cast and annealed films and were 1.7, 2.2, and 3.7 times greater, respectively, than for the as-cast films of the BPDA-ODA polyimide. The higher solubility was due to larger values of the Henry's law solubility constant k_D, Langmuir capacity constant C, and the Langmuir affinity constant b. The sorption and transport properties were compared with those for amorphous glassy aromatic polymers including other polyimides. The relation of k, C, b, and the diffusion coefficients in the Henry's law population and the Langmuir population (D_D and D_H) with other properties of the polymers were discussed. Values D_D and D_H for BPDA-DDS polyimide were much larger than expected from the estimated free-volume fraction.     

Synthesis and properties of novel polyimides derived from 2,2′,3,3′‐benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride

A new synthetic route to 2,2′,3,3′‐BTDA (where BTDA is benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride), an isomer of 2,3′,3′,4′‐BTDA and 3,3′,4,4′‐BTDA, is described. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis of 2,2′,3,3′‐BTDA has shown that this dianhydride has a bent and noncoplanar structure. The polymerizations of 2,2′,3,3′‐BTDA with 4,4′‐oxydianiline (ODA) and 4,4′‐bis(4‐aminophenoxy)benzene (TPEQ) have been investigated with a conventional two‐step process. A trend of cyclic oligomers forming in the reaction of 2,2′,3,3′‐BTDA and ODA has been found and characterized with IR, NMR, matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry, and elemental analyses. Films based on 2,2′,3,3′‐BTDA/TPEQ can only be obtained from corresponding polyimide (PI) solutions prepared by chemical imidization because those from their polyamic acids by thermal imidization are brittle. PIs from 2,2′,3,3′‐BTDA have lower inherent viscosities and worse thermal and mechanical properties than the corresponding 2,3′,3′,4′‐BTDA‐ and 3,3′,4,4′‐BTDA‐based PIs. PIs from 2,2′,3,3′‐BTDA and 2,3′,3′,4′‐BTDA are amorphous, whereas those from 3,3′,4,4′‐BTDA have some crystallinity, according to wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. Furthermore, PIs from 2,2′,3,3′‐BTDA have better solubility, higher glass‐transition temperatures, and higher melt viscosity than those from 2,3′,3′,4′‐BTDA and 3,3′,4,4′‐BTDA. Model compounds have been prepared to explain the order of the glass‐transition temperatures found in the isomeric PI series. The isomer effects on the PI properties are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2130–2144, 2004     

Oxydative Aryl-Aryl-Verknüpfung von 6,6′,7,7′-Tetramethoxy-1,1′,2,2′,3,3′,4,4′-octahydro-1,1′-biisochinolin-Derivaten

Oxidative Aryl-Aryl-Coupling of 6,6′,7,7′-Tetramethoxy-1,1′,2,2′,3,3′,4,4′-octahydro-1,1′-biisoquinoline Derivatives We describe the synthesis of 2 by intramolecular oxidative coupling of 1, 1′-biisoquinoline derivatives 1 (Scheme 1). This heterocyclic system can be considered as a union of two apomorphine molecules and may thus exhibit dopaminergic activity. - The readily available tetrahydrobiisoquinoline 6 was methylated to 11 (Scheme 4) and reduced (with NaBH₃CN) to rac- 7 and (catalytically) to meso- 7 (Scheme 3). Reduction of 11 with NaBH₄ and of the biurethane rac- 9 with LiAlH₄/AlCl₃ afforded meso- and rac- 10 , respectively (Scheme 4). Demethylation of 6 , meso- 10 , meso- and rac- 7 led to 12 , meso- 14 , meso- and rac- 13 , respectively (Scheme 5). The latter two phenols were converted with chloroformic ester to the hexaethoxycarbonyl derivatives meso- and rac- 15 and subsequently saponified to the biurethanes meso- and rac- 16 , respectively (Scheme 5). - In order to assure proximity of the two aromatic rings, the ethano-bridged derivatives meso- and rac- 18 were prepared by condensing meso- and rac- 7 with oxalic ester and reducing the oxalyl derivatives meso- and rac- 17 with LiAlH₄/AlCl₃, respectively (Scheme 6). The ¹H-NMR, spectra at different temperatures showed that rac- 18 populated two conformers but rac- 17 only one, all with C₂-symmetry, and that meso- 17 as well as meso- 18 populated two enantiomeric conformers with C₁-symmetry. Whereas both oxalyl derivatives 17 were fairly rigid due to the two amide groupings, the ethano derivatives 18 exhibited coalescence temperatures of -20 and 30°. - The intramolecular coupling of the two aromatic rings was successful under ‘non-phenolic oxidative’ conditions with the tetramethoxy derivatives 7, 10 and 18 , the rac-isomers leading to the desired dibenzophenanthrolines, the meso-isomers, however, mostly to dienones (Scheme 9): With VOF₃ and FSO₃H in CF₃COOH/CH₂Cl₂ rac- 7 was converted to rac- 19 , rac- 18 to rac- 21 and rac- 10 to a mixture of rac- 20 and the dienone 23b of the morphinane type. Under the same conditions meso- 10 was transformed to the dienone 23a of the morphinane type, whereas meso- 18 yielded the dienone 24 of the neospirine type, both in lower yields. The analysis of the spectral data of the six coupling products offers evidence for their structures. With the demethylation of rac- 20 and rac- 21 to rac- 25 and rac- 26 , respectively, the synthetic goal of the work was reached, but only in the rac-series (Scheme 10). - In the course of this work two cleavages of octahydro-1,1′-biisoquinolines at the C(1), C(1′)-bond were observed: (1) The biurethanes 9 and 16 in both the meso- and rac-series reacted with oxygen in CF₃COOH solution to give the 3,4-dihydroisoquinolinium salts 27 and 28 ; the latter was deprotonated to the quinomethide 30 (Scheme 11). (2) Under the Clarke-Eschweiler reductive-methylation conditions meso- and rac- 7 were cleaved to the tetrahydroisoquinoline derivative 32 .     

Fully imidized soluble polyimides based on a novel dianhydride: 2,2′-dichloro-4,4′,5,5′-benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride

We have synthesized a novel dianhydride, 2,2′-dichloro-4,4′,5,5′-benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride (DCBTDA). Polyimides were synthesized with DCBTDA or 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) and several relatively rigid meta- and para- substituted mononuclear diamines. The BTDA based systems were insoluble in dipolar, aprotic solvents whereas the DCBTDA based polymers displayed enhanced solubility in these solvents. The thermal stability of these polyimides was excellent as measured by 5% weight loss decomposition. The T_g's of the polymers were all above 290°C.     

Polyimides synthesized from 4,4′-(1,2-ethynediyl) bis (phthalic anhydride)

A novel substituted acetylene monomer, 4,4′-(1,2-ethynediyl) bis (phthalic anhydride) (EBPA) was made in six steps from 4-nitro-N-methylphthalimide (4-NPI) including two palladium-catalyzed acetylene coupling steps. Several new polyimides were prepared from this monomer and six aromatic diamines. In addition, copolymers were made with EBPA and BPADA with meta-phenylene diamine. All of the polymers had high glass transition temperatures, high thermal stability and good solvent resistance. The copolymer containing twenty % EBPA had a glass transition temperature 33°C higher than Ultem® (a registered trademark of GE) and improved solvent resistance.     

2,2′,3,3′,4,4′,5,5′,6,6′‐Decafluoro­diphenyl­amine and its 1:1 cocrystal with diphenyl­amine

In the structures of deca­fluoro­diphenyl­amine, C₁₂HF₁₀N, and its 1:1 cocrystal with diphenyl­amine, C₁₂HF₁₀N·C₁₂H₁₁N, the mol­ecules are located on special positions of C₂ symmetry. The NH groups are not involved in hydrogen bonding and the usual face‐to‐face stacking inter­actions between phenyl and penta­fluoro­phenyl rings are not observed in the cocrystal.     

Microstructure and properties of 3,3′,4,4′‐biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA)‐p‐phenylene diamine (PDA) polyimide/poly(vinylsilsesquioxane) hybrid nanocomposite films

Hybrid nanocomposite films of poly(vinylsilsesquioxane) (PVSSQ) and polyimide (PI) (PI/PVSSQ) were prepared via sol‐gel process from triethoxyvinylsilane (VSSQ) and thermal imidization from 3,3′,4,4′‐biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA)‐p‐phenylene diamine (PDA) polyamic acid (BPDA‐PDA PAA). We investigated the microstructure; interfacial interaction; and optical, thermal, dielectric, and mechanical properties of the hybrid films. The phase morphologies and degree of surface roughness were evaluated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM), respectively. It was found that the surface topography was influenced by the composition of PVSSQ. Hydrogen bonding interactions between polyimide (PI) matrix and PVSSQ domains were proved with FT‐IR spectroscopy. The transparency of the hybrid films was found to be dependent on the PVSSQ content. Incorporating of the PVSSQ in the hybrid composites increased the glass transition temperature of PI. Dielectric constants of the hybrid films were in the range of 2.37–3.59. Properties of the PI films were also significantly enhanced by adding 5–30 wt % of PVSSQ. For comparison, we also prepared the hybrid composites of PI and mixtures of VSSQ and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and the PI/silica hybrid composite containing 30 wt % of silica obtained from TEOS. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 5189–5199, 2004     

Polyimides from 4,4′-(alkylene-α,ω-dioxy) bis(phenylsuccinic anhydride)s and bis(phenylglutaric anhydride)s

4,4′-(Alkylene-α,ω-dioxy)bis(phenylsuccinic anhydride)s and bis(glutaric anhydride)s were obtained by the condensation of 4,4′-diformyl-α,ω-diphenoxyalkanes with ethyl cyanoacetate followed by the addition of potassium cyanide or meldrum acid (2,2-dimenthyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione), hydrolysis with concentrated hydrochloric acid, and dehydration with acetic anhydride. Alkylene groups were ethylene, trimethylene, and tetramethylene. Polyimides were prepared from these anhydrides with 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether, 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulfide, and 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane through thermal ring closure of polyamic acids obtained by solution polymerization in dimethylacetamide, and thermal stability of these polyimide film was examined by thermogravimetric analysis.     

3,3′,5,5′‐Tetramethyl‐4,4′‐bipyrazole–pentafluorophenol (2/3)

In the title compound, 2C₁₀H₁₄N₄·3C₆HF₅O, one of the pentafluorophenol molecules resides on a mirror plane bisecting the O...F axis. The components aggregate by N—H...N, N—H...O and O—H...N hydrogen bonds involving equal disordering of the H atoms into molecular ensembles based on a 2:1 pyrazole–phenol cyclic pattern [O...N = 2.7768 (16) Å and N...N = 2.859 (2) Å], crosslinked into one‐dimensional columns via hydrogen bonding between the outer pyrazole groups and additional pentafluorophenol molecules. The latter yields a 1:1 pyrazole–phenol catemer with alternating strong O—H...N [2.5975 (16) Å] and weaker N—H...O [2.8719 (17) Å] hydrogen bonds. This is the first reported molecular adduct of a pentafluorinated phenol and a nitrogen base, and suggests the utility of highly acidic phenols and pyrazoles for developing hydrogen‐bonded cocrystals.     

A novel cadmium(II) coordination polymer with biphenyl‐3,3′,4,4′‐tetra­carboxylic acid and 4,4′‐bipyridine

A novel cadmium(II) coordination polymer, poly[[[bis­(4,4′‐bipyridine)cadmium(II)]‐μ₃‐4,4′‐dicarboxy­biphenyl‐3,3′‐di­carboxyl­ato] 0.35‐hydrate], {[Cd(C₁₆H₈O₈)(C₁₀H₈N₂)₂]·0.35H₂O}_n, was obtained by reaction of Cd(CH₃COO)₂·3H₂O, 4,4′‐bipyridine (4,4′‐bpy) and biphenyl‐3,3′,4,4′‐tetra­car­boxylic acid (H₄L) under hydro­thermal conditions. Each Cd^II atom lies at the centre of a distorted octa­hedron, coordinated by four O atoms from three H₂L²⁻ ligands and N atoms from two monodentate 4,4′‐bpy ligands. Each H₂L²⁻ ligand coordinates to three Cd^II atoms through two carboxyl­ate groups, one acting as a bridging bidentate ligand and the other in a chelating bidentate fashion. Two Cd atoms, two H₂L²⁻ anions and four 4,4′‐bpy ligands form a ring dimer node, which links into an extended broad zonal one‐dimensional chain along the c axis.     

Wholly aromatic thermotropic liquid crystalline polyesters of 3,3′-bis(phenyl)-4,4′-biphenol with 4,4′-benzophenone dicarboxylic acid

A series of wholly aromatic, thermotropic polyesters, derived from 3,3′-bis(phenyl)-4,4′-biphenol (DPBP), nonlinear 4,4′-benzophenone dicarboxylic acid (4,4′-BDA), and various linear comonomers, were prepared by the melt polycondensation reaction and characterized for their thermotropic properties by a variety of experimental techniques. The homopolymer of DPBP with 4,4′-BDA had a fusion temperature (T_f) at 265°C, exhibited a nematic phase, and had a liquid crystalline range of 105°C. All of the copolyesters of DPBP with 4,4′-BDA and either 30 mol % 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA), 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (HNA), or 50 mol % terephthalic acid (TA), 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid (2,6-NDA) had low T_f values in the range of 220–285°C, exhibited a nematic phase, and had accessible isotropization transitions (T_i) in the range of 270–420°C, respectively. Their accessible T_i values would enable one to observe a biphase structure. Each of the copolymers with HBA or HNA had a much broader range of liquid crystalline phase. In contrast, each of the copolymers with TA or 2,6-NDA had a relatively narrow range of liquid crystalline phase. Each of these polyesters had a glassy, nematic morphology that was confirmed with the DSC, PLM, WAXD, and SEM studies. As expected, they had higher glass transition temperatures (T_g) in the range of 161–217°C than those of other liquid crystalline polyesters, and excellent thermal stabilities (T_d) in the range of 494–517°C, respectively. Despite their noncrystallinity, they were not soluble in common organic solvents with the exception that the homopolymer and its copolymer with TA had limited solubility in CHCl₃. However, they were soluble in the usual mixture of p-chlorophenol/1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (60/40 by weight) with the exception of the copolymer with 2,6-NDA. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 769–785, 1997     

Synthesis of autophotosensitive hyperbranched polyimides based on 3,3′,4,4′‐benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride and 1,3,5‐tris(4‐aminophenoxy)benzene via end capping of the terminal anhydride groups by ortho‐alkyl aniline

Benzophenone‐containing, anhydride‐terminated hyperbranched poly(amic acid)s were end‐capped by ortho‐alkyl aniline in situ and then chemically imidized, yielding autophotosensitive hyperbranched polyimides. The polyimides were soluble in strong polar solvents, such as N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone, N‐dimethylformamide, dimethylacetamide, and dimethyl sulfoxide. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed their excellent thermal stability, with a 5 wt % thermal loss temperature in the range of 527–548 °C and a10 wt % thermal loss temperature in the range of 562–583 °C. The strong absorption of the polyimide films in ultraviolet–visible spectra at 365 nm indicated that the hyperbranched polyimides were patternable. Highly resolved images with a line width of 6 μm were developed by ultraviolet exposure of the polymer films. A well‐defined image with lines as thin as 3 μm was also patterned, but the lines were rounded at the edges. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 2026–2035, 2003