High performance thermoplastic compositions with improved melt flow properties

A thermoplastic resin composition comprising, based upon the total weight of the composition, about 0.1 wt % to about 50 wt % of a poly(arylene ether) having an intrinsic viscosity below 0.30 dl/g, as measured in chloroform at 25° C., wherein the poly(arylene ether) polymer comprises a plurality of structural units of the formula (XII)

• 23
• wherein each Q1 is independently a halogen, primary or secondary lower alkyl, phenyl, haloalkyl, aminoalkyl, hydrocarbonoxy, or halohydrocarbonoxy wherein at least two carbon atoms separate the halogen and oxygen atoms;
• each Q2 is independently a hydrogen, halogen, primary or secondary lower alkyl, phenyl, haloalkyl, hydrocarbonoxy or halohydrocarbonoxy wherein at least two carbon atoms separate the halogen and oxygen atoms;
• and n is less than 50;
• and
• about 40 wt % to about 99.9 wt % of a high Tg amorphous thermoplastic polymer resin, wherein the high Tg amorphous thermoplastic polymer resin comprises structural units of the formula (V)
• 24
• wherein T is —0— or a group of the formula —O—Z—O— wherein the divalent bonds of the —0— or the —O—Z—O— group are in the 3,3′, 3,4′, 4,3′, or the 4,4′ positions;
• and wherein Z is one or more of the divalent radicals of formula (III):
• 25
• R is a substituted or unsubstituted divalent organic radical selected from the group consisting of (a) aromatic hydrocarbon radicals having about 6 to about 20 carbon atoms or halogenated derivatives thereof, (b) straight or branched chain alkylene radicals having about 2 to about 20 carbon atoms;
• (c) cycloalkylene radicals having about 3 to about 20 carbon atoms, and (d) divalent radicals of the general formula (IV)
• 26
• wherein Q is a divalent moiety selected from the group consisting of —O—, —S—, —C(O)—, —SO2—, CyH2y—, CyH2y-2— and halogenated derivatives thereof, wherein y is an integer from 1 to 10.