Two aromatic, pyridine-based ether diamines were prepared by the nucleophilic aromatic substitution reaction of 4-aminophenol and 5-amino-1-naphthol with 2,6-dichloropyridine in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone as a solvent. Polycondensation reactions of the obtained diamines with pyromellitic dianhydride, benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride, and hexafluoroisopropylidene diphthalic anhydride resulted in six pyridine-based, thermally stable poly(ether imide)s. The prepared monomers and polymers were characterized by common spectroscopic methods. The physical and thermal properties of the polymers, including the thermal behavior, thermal stability, solubility, and solution viscosity, were studied. (C) 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.