Sulfur-containing semi-alicyclic polyimides (Pis) with high refractive indices up to 1.7272 at 632.8 nm have been prepared by the Michael polyaddition of sulfur-containing bismaleimides (SBMIs) with 4,4'-thiobis(benzenethiol) (TBT). These Pis also showed high transparency in the visible region, low birefringence (Delta n), and a high glass transition temperature.