Cyclic aromatic amide oligomers

A process for the preparation of high molecular weight aramid polymers which method comprises polymerizing cyclic compounds of the formula:

• ##STR7## wherein:
• A, B, D and E are independently selected from the group consisting of benzene or benzene derivatives where the substituents on the benzene are alkyl of 1 to about 8 carbon atoms, halide, or alkoxy of 1 to about 8 carbon atoms 3,3'-biphenylene, 4,4'-biphenylene, 1,4-naphthalenediyl, 2,6-naphthalenediyl, oxy-3,4'-diphenyldiyl, oxy-4,4'-diphenyldiyl, methylene-3,4'-diphenyldiyl, methylene-4,4'-diphenyldiyl, sulfonyl-3,4'-diphenyldiyl, and sulfonyl-4,4'-diphenyldiyl;
• R is alkyl of 1 to about 8 carbon atoms or cycloalkyl of 3 to about 8 carbon atoms or aralkyl with ar- being phenylene or naphthylene and the alkyl portion of 1 to about 8 carbon atoms;
• and
• n is an integer from 0 to about 12, in the presence of a highly nucleophilic catalyst selected from the group consisting of thiourea, aromatic amines, methyl-3-butylimidazole-2-thione and N-benzoyl-p-phenylene diamine.