Polystyrene and poly(phenylene methylene) of relatively low molar mass (2000-3000) have been converted through nitro and amino derivatives into maleimido-functionalized oligomers. The latter have been characterized spectroscopically and oligomers and cured resins derived therefrom studied by thermal gravimetric analysis. Both polystyrene and poly(phenylene methylene) show greater thermal and thermo-oxidative stability than the corresponding maleimido derivatives. This trend is also observed when comparing poly(phenylene methylene) with the crosslinked resin derived from maleimidopoly(phenylene methylene). The opposite trend is observed for polystyrene and the cured resin derived from maleimidopolystyrene.