Five new poly(ether Brides) have been prepared on reaction with oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODA) with five different diamines: 1,4-bis(p-aminophenoxy-2'-trifluoromethyl benzyl) benzene, 4,4'-bis(p-aminophenoxy-2'-trifluoromethyl benzyl) benzene, 1,3-bis(p-aminophenoxy-2'-trifluoromethyl benzyl) benzene, 2,6-bis(p-aminophenoxy-2'-trifluoromethyl benzyl) pyridine, and 2,5-bis(p-aminophenoxy-2'-trifluoromethyl benzyl) thiophene. Synthesized polymers showed good solubility in different organic solvents. The polyimide films have low water absorption of 0.3-0.7%, low dielectric constants of 2.82-3.19 at 1 MHz, and high optical transparency at 500 nm (>73%). These polyimides showed very high thermal stability with decomposition temperatures (5% weight loss) up to 531 degreesC in air and good isothermal stability; only 0.4% weight loss occurred at 315 degreesC after 5 h. Transparent thin filers of these polyimides exhibited tensile strength up to 147 MPa, a modulus of elasticity up to 2.51 GPa and elongation at break up to 30% depending upon the repeating unit structure. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.