To prepare reverse-osmosis membranes with good permeation properties and good chlorine tolerance, polyamide (PA) composite membranes were prepared with a conventional interfacial polymerization method. Diamine compounds, including metaphenylene diamine (MPD), 2,6-diaminotoluene (2,6-DAT), 2,4-diaminotoluene, 3,4-diaminotoluene, 2,4-diaminoanisol, 4-chlorometaphenylene diamine, and N,N'-diphenylethyldiamine, were polymerized with trimesoyl chloride (TMC) or isophthaloyl chloride to form PA polymers. The polymers were then tested for chlorine tolerance and hydrophilicity. Among the diamines tested, 2,6-DAT and MPD were used for the formation of thin-film composite (TFC) membranes by their interfacial polymerization with TMC on the surface of microporous polysulfone supports. Their performance and chlorine tolerance were test under various conditions. The TFC membranes prepared from 2,6-DAT and TMC showed better chlorine tolerance than the membrane prepared from MPD and TMC, and the permeation properties of these membranes were comparable to each other. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 120: 1245-1252, 2011