A series of new cardo poly(ether imide)s bearing flexible ether and bulky xanthene pendant groups was prepared from 9,9-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)phenyl]xanthene with six commercially available aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydrides in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc) via the poly(amic acid) precursors and subsequent thermal or chemical imidization. The intermediate poly(amic acid)s had inherent viscosities between 0.83 and 1.28 dL/g, could be cast from DMAc solutions and thermally converted into transparent, flexible, and tough poly(ether imide) films which were further characterized by X-ray and mechanical analysis. All of the poly(ether imide)s were amorphous and their films exhibited tensile strengths of 89108 MPa, elongations at break of 79%, and initial moduli of 2.122.65 GPa. Three poly(ether imide)s derived from 4,4'-oxydiphthalic anhydride, 4,4'-sulfonyldiphthalic anhydride, and 2,2-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl))hexafluoropropane anhydride, respectively, exhibited excellent solubility in various solvents such as DMAc, N,N-dimethylformamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone, pyridine, and even in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature. The resulting poly(ether imide)s with glass transition temperatures between 286 and 335 degrees C had initial decomposition temperatures above 500 degrees C, 10% weight loss temperatures ranging from 551 to 575 degrees C in nitrogen and 547 to 570 degrees C in air, and char yields of 5364% at 800 degrees C in nitrogen. (C) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012