SYNOPSISA series of novel polycyclic aliphatic polyamides was synthesized by direct polycondensation of the 1,6-diamantane dicarboxylic acid with various alicyclic diamines in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) containing lithium chloride, using triphenyl phosphite and pyridine as a condensing agent. The polyamides had inherent viscosities of 0.33-0.49 dL/g. The glass transition temperatures of the these polyamides were in the range of 2O0-22O0C, and the 5% weight loss temperatures were in the range were 290-319°C in nitrogen. 0 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

SYNOPSIS1,g-Diamantane dicarboxylic acyl chloride (I) was used as a monomer with various aromatic diamines to synthesize polyamides by interfacial polycondensation and solution polycondensation. The polyamides prepared by interfacial polycondensation had inherent viscosities between 0.38 and 0.15 dL/g. The polyamides prepared by solution polycondensation had inherent viscosities between 0.62 and 0.25 dL/g. The polyamide IIIa prepared by solution polycondensation showed the main melting transition at 380°C by dynamic mechanical analysis. In addition, it was quite temperature-stable and maintained good mechanical properties (G' -10' Pa) up to high temperatures close to the main transition well above 350°C. The polyamide IIIa had a tensile strength of 35 MPa, elongations to break of lo%, and initial modulus of 0.8 GPa. Some of the polyamides were soluble in NMP, DMAc, and DMSO, depending on soft segment moiety of diamine (11). The polyamides prepared by interfacial polycondensation have a greater tendency to form crystal than those prepared by solution polycondensation, as evidenced by x-ray diffraction studies. These polyamides had glass transition temperatures in the 270-300°C range, and 5% weight loss temperatures up to 435°C in nitrogen. 0 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.