Patent ID: 6881815

Claim:
A method for the synthesis of an activated bisimide, comprising reacting 4-halotetrahydrophthalic anhydride with a primary amine having the formula A-NH 2 to yield an N-substituted-4-halotetrahydrophthalimide wherein A is a group which activates the tetrahydrophthalimide ring system to aromatization; aromatizing activated 4-halotetrahydrophthalimide in the presence of a catalyst to yield an activated 4-halophthalimide; and treating activated 4-halophthalimide (V) with a disodium salt of a dihydroxy compound having the structure HO—S—OH, to yield the activated bisimide (VI): wherein S comprises a straight or branched chain alkylene group having from about 2 to about 20 carbon atoms, a substituted straight or branched chain alkylene group having from about 2 to about 20 carbon atoms, a cycloalkylene group having from about 3 to about 20 carbon atoms, a substituted cycloalkylene group having from about 3 to about 20 carbon atoms, an arylene group having from 6 to about 20 carbon atoms or a substituted arylene group having from 6 to about 20 carbon atoms.