Abstract: | New thermally stable poly(imide-oxoisoindolobenzothiadiazine dioxides) (PIOD) have been prepared by the three-step cyclopolycondensation reaction of diaminobenzenesulfonamides with aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydrides. The polymerization proceeded through the formation of poly(amic acid-sulfonamides) (PAAS), followed by cyclodehydration to yield polyimide-sulfonamides (PIS), which were subsequently converted to PIOD at 300°C. PAAS having inherent viscosities in the range of 0.1–0.5 in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) were obtained in approximately quantitative yield. PIOD were insoluble in most organic solvents, whereas PAAS and PIS were soluble in NMP and dimethyl sulfoxide. Differential thermal analysis and thermogravimetric analysis indicated that PIOD began to decompose at 460°C in air. The cyclodehydration of the model compounds was also investigated. |