1,1-Bis [4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]-1-phenylethane (BAPPE) was prepared through nucleophilic substitution reaction of 1,l-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phenylethane and p-chloronitrobenzene in the presence of K2CO3 in N,N-dimethylformamide, followed by catalytic reduction with hydrazine and Pd/C. Novel organosoluble polyimides and copolyimides were synthesized from BAPPE and six kinds of commercial dianhydrides, including pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA, I-a), 3,3',4,4'-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA, I-b), 3,3',4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA, I-c), 4,4'-oxydiphthalic anhydride (ODPA, I-d), 3,3',4,4'-diphenylsulfonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (DSDA, I-e) and 4,4'-hexafluoroisopropylidenediphthalic anhydride (6FDA, I-f). Differing with the conventional polyimide process by thermal cyclodehydration of poly(amic acid), when polyimides were prepared by chemical cyclodehydration with N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone as used solvent, resulted polymers showed good solubility. Additional, I-a,I-b were mixed respectively with the rest of dianhydrides (Ic-f) and BAPPE at certain molar ratios to prepare copolyimides with arbitrary solubilities. These polyimides and copolyimides were characterized by good mechanical properties together with good thermal stability.