A new diamine, bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]diphenylmethane (BAPDM), bearing diphenylmethylene Linkage was prepared starting from bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)diphenylmethane. The diamine was reacted with various aromatic dicarboxylic acids to obtain a series of new polyamides with moderate to high inherent viscosities of 0.65-0.97 dL g(-1). Almost all of the polymers could be readily dissolved in NMP, N,N-dimethylacetamide, N,N-dimethylformamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, m-cresol, pyridine, tetrahydrofuran, and cyclohexanone. All of the polymers were amorphous, and the polyamide films had a tensile strength range of 85-108 MPa. These polyamides had glass transition temperatures between 237 and 272 degrees C and 10% weight loss temperatures in the range 500-524 degrees C in nitrogen.