Twenty semicrystalline polyimides based on well-known aromatic dianhydrides and aliphatic alpha,omega-diamines have been synthesized and characterized. Poly(BTDA-DAB) synthesized in a two-step process from 3,3’,4,4’-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) and 1,4-diaminobutane (DAB) exhibits a rather exclusive balance between thermal/mechanical properties and processability. In the series of alpha,omega-diamines and BTDA the glass transition temperature (T(g)) increases linearly with the decrease in CH2 units, while the melting temperature (T(m)) shows the well-known odd-even effect. For the as-synthesized poly(BTDA-DAB) T(g) and T(m) are 175 and 277-degrees-C, respectively. After melt processing a sharp decrease in crystallinity is observed with X-ray and d.s.c., however annealing of injection moulded test bars results in a higher crystallinity. The semicrystalline poly(BTDA-DAB) exhibits interesting mechanical properties, e.g. a G’ modulus of 1.7 kN mm-2 and an Izod impact of 3.4 kJ m-2.