Novel fluorescent polyetherimides containing bulky triaryl imidazole pendant and ether linkage in the main chains were prepared from a diamine, 2,2phenoxybis[4amino2(4,5diphenyl2Himidazole 2yl)]propane, and commercially available dianhydrides. All the resulting polymers were amorphous with inherent viscosities ranged from 0.45 to 0.75 dl/g and were readily soluble in many organic solvents which could be solutioncast into transparent and tough films. They had useful levels of thermal stability associated with relatively high Tg (245–254°C), 10% weight loss temperatures in excess of 500°C, and char yields at 600°C in air up to 62%. These polymers exhibited strong UVvis absorption maxima in solution and in solid state. Photoluminescence efficiency of the polyetherimides was affected by their chemical structure with quantum yields in the range 10–28%.
