1,2-Bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzene was synthesized in two steps by the preparation of 1,2-bis(4-nitrophenoxy)benzene from 1,2-dihydroxybenzene (catechol) and p-chloronitrobenzene and subsequent reduction with a 10% Pd-C catalyst and hydrazine hydrate. Aromatic polyamides with an inherent viscosity in the range of 1.08-2.00 dL/g were prepared by the direct polycondensation of this diamine with various aromatic dicarboxylic acids in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) using triphenyl phosphite and pyridine as condensing agents. Most of the polymers formed were soluble in aprotic solvents such as NMP and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and afforded transparent, flexible, and tough films upon casting from DMAc solutions. Most of the cast films showed obvious yield points in their stress-strain curves and had tensile strength among 64-89 MPa, elongation at break among 5-23%, and initial modulus in 1.7-2.5 GPa. The glass transition temperatures (T-g) of these polymers were in the range of 207-278 degrees C, and the 10% weight loss temperatures were recorded above 475 degrees C in nitrogen and above 452 degrees C in air.