A series of new organosoluble poly(amide-ether-imidazole)s with different functional groups, such as flexible ether linkages, substituted imidazole and carbazole rings, and electron withdrawing CF3 groups, were synthesized from a new diamine and various dicarboxylic acids using two methods: (1) direct polycondensation with triphenyl phosphite (TPP) as an activating agent, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), pyridine (Py) and LiCl; and (2) direct polycondensation using ionic liquids (ILs) and TPP without Py, LiCl or NMP. Room temperature ILs containing anions such as Br, BF 4 and PF 6 with symmetrical 1,3-dialkylimidazolium cations were prepared and used as polycondensation media. The polymers were obtained with good yields in ILs with moderate viscosities (0.34–0.62 dl g1) in a shorter reaction time (2.5 vs 12 h) than in NMP. All of the polymers were amorphous in nature and showed excellent solubility in amide-type polar aprotic solvents. They showed good thermal stability with glass transition temperatures (Tg) between 162 and 303 1C and 10% weight loss temperatures of 388 and 421 1C in O2 and N2 atmospheres, respectively. These polymers showed blue fluorescence emission upon irradiation with ultraviolet light and are candidates for applications in electroluminescent devices.
