A series of novel polyamides with pendent anthrylamine units were prepared via the direct phosphorylation polycondensation from various diamines and the anthrylamine-based aromatic dicarboxylic acid, 9-[N,N-di(4-carboxyphenyl)amino]anthracene (4). The aromatic polyamides had useful levels of thermal stability associated with relatively high softening temperatures (T-s) (290-300 degrees C) 10% weight-loss temperatures (T-d(10)) nearly in excess of 550 degrees C, and char yields at 800 degrees C in nitrogen higher than 60%. These aromatic polyamides I exhibited highly photoluminescence quantum yield in NMP solution ranges from 55% for Ia to 74% for Ie due to the introduction of anthrylamine chromophores. Cyclic voltammograms of the polyamide films cast onto an indium-tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrate exhibited one oxidation and reduction couples (E-onset) around 1.10 and -1.50 V versus Ag/AgCl in acetonitrile (CH3CN) and DMF solutions, respectively. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 7354-7368, 2008