New aromatic polyimides (PIs) having the lowest dielectric constant in nonfluorinated PIs have been developed from aromatic dianhydrides and an aromatic diamine containing phenylene ether units. The diamine monomer was prepared from 4-bromophenyl ether in five steps. Polycondensations were performed in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone at room temperature for 18 h, giving poly(amic acid)s (PAAs) with inherent viscosities up to 0.53 dl/g. PAAs were converted to corresponding poly(imide)s (PIs) by thermal treatment at 300 C. New PIs showed good thermal stability (5% weight loss around 450 degrees C) and the low dielectric constant (2.74). (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.