4-Hydroxy-5-nitrophthalimides were produced via nucleophilic aromatic substitution (NAS) of 4,5-dichloro phthalimide substituents by potassium nitrite. The use of a N-phenyl-phthalimide having a protected 4’-hydroxyl group allows concurrent deprotection and nitro reduction to amine to give the 4-hydroxy-5-amino-N-(4’-hydroxyphenyl) phthalimide. This key intermediate is the precursor to a poly( ether-imide-benzoxazole), and is the condensable monomer for a poly(ester-imide-benzoxazole). Benzoxazole monomer formation via condensation with p-fluorobenzoyl chloride afforded 2-(4’-fluorophenyl)-5,6,-N-[4’(-hydroxyphenyl) imide] -benzoxazole, which was polymerized under NAS conditions to produce a poly( ether-imide-benzoxazole) having an endothermic transition at 454 degrees C with weight retention of 90% at 500 degrees C in both air and nitrogen. Solution polycondensation of the 4-hydroxy-5-amino-N-( 4’-hydroxyphenyl) phthalimide monomer with isophthaloyl chloride afforded a poly( ester-amide-imide) which was isolated and thermally cyclodehydrated in the solid state under vacuum to give a poly( ester-imide-benzoxazole) having 95% weight retention at 500 degrees C in both air and nitrogen, with no detectable DSC transitions up to 500 degrees C.