Novel fluorescent polyimides (PIs) were prepared from a new diamine, of 4-(4-(4-amino-2-(4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)phenoxy)phenoxy)-3-(4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-2-yl)benzenamine, and three tetracarbonylic dianhydrides. The new symmetrical diamine was successfully synthesized by the nucleophilic substitution reaction of hydroquinone with 2-(2-chloro-5-nitrophenyl)-4, 5-diphenyl-1H-imidazole (I). The PIs are amorphous and soluble in polar aprotic solvents and demonstrate a film-forming capability; their inherent viscosities ranged from 0.43 to 0.82 dL/g. They had useful levels of thermal stability associated with relatively high Tgs (245-274 °C), 10% weight loss temperatures in excess of 500 °C, and char yields at 600 °C in air up to 62%. The PIs show emission in dilute (0.2 g/dL) DMAc solution with photoluminescence (PL) quantum yields in the range of 0.11-0.25 The chemiluminescence activity of PIs in the presence of peroxyoxalate was also investigated.
