This work synthesized a series of new polyamides by direct polycondensation of 1,3-bis[4-(4-carboxyphenoxy)phenyl] adamantane (I) with various diamines. The diacid I was synthesized from 1,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) adamantane in two steps. Polyamides III were soluble in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP), N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and pyridine. The polyamides had medium inherent viscosities of 0.30-0.55 dL/g and number-average molecular weights (M-n) of 22,000-36,000. The polyamides IIIa and IIIb had tensile strengths of 59.8 and 77.5 MPa, elongation to breakage values of 5.8 and 7.6%, and initial moduli of 1.9 and 1.8 GPa, respectively. Their glass transition temperatures were found to be 219-295 degrees C by means of differential scanning calorimetry(DSC). Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) reveals that the incorporation of rigid and bulky diamantane into polyamides IIIa and IIIb leads to high glass transition temperatures (T(g)s), at 299 and 286 degrees C, respectively. The decomposition temperatures of polyamides III at a 5% weight loss ranged from 388 to 416 degrees C in air and from 408 to 435 degrees C in N-2 atmosphere.