N-(4-nitrophenyl)-4',4"-bisformyl-diphenylamine was synthesized from N(4-nitrophenyl)-diphenylamine by the Vilsmeier-Haack reaction. Soluble aromatic poly(azomethine)s (PAMs) were prepared by the solution polycondensation of N-(4-nitrophenyl)-4',4"-bisformyl-diphenylamine and aromatic diamine in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) at room temperature under reduced pressure. All the PAMs are highly soluble in various organic solvents, such as N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), chloroform (CHCl3), and tetrahydrofaran (THF). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated that these PAMs had glass-transition temperatures (T(g)s) in the range of 170-230 degrees C, and a 10% weight-loss temperatures in excess of 490 degrees C with char yield at 800 degrees C in nitrogen higher than 60%. These PAMs in NMP solution showed UV-Vis charge-transfer (CT) absorption at 405-421 nm and photoluminescence peaks around 462-466 nm with fluorescence quantum efficiency 40 0.100.99%. The highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy levels of these PAMs can be determined from cyclic voltammograms as 4.86-5.43 and 3.31-3.34 eV, respectively. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.