Heat-resistant maleimido copolymers

Claim 1

A heat-resistant maleimido polymer comprising the copolymerizate of: (a) at least one N,N,-bis (maleimide) of the formula: ##STR25## in which the symbols Z, which may be identical or different, are each H, CH 3 or Cl; the symbol A is a cyclohexylene; phenylene; 4-methyl-1,3-phenylene; 2-methyl-1,3-phenylene; 5-methyl-1,3-phenylene; 2,5-diethyl-3-methyl-1,4-phenylene; or a radical of the formula: ##STR26## in which B is a single valence bond or a group or atom selected from ##STR27## (b) at least one diamine containing a diorganopolysiloxane bridge and having the following general formula: ##STR28## in which X, which is in the ortho, meta or para position with respect to the carbon atom of the benzene ring bonded to the nitrogen atom, is one of the following atoms or groups: ##STR29## R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 and R 5 , which may be identical or different, are each a linear or branched chain alkyl radical having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, or a substituted such radical bearing one or more chlorine, bromine or fluorine atom substituents or a --CN group; or a phenyl radical optionally substituted with one or more alkyl and/or alkoxy radicals having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or with one or more chlorine atoms; the symbol x ranging from 1 to 8; and the symbols y and z denote numbers, which may be identical or different, integral or fractional, the sum of which ranges from 0 to 100; (c) optionally, at least one N, N'-bis(maleimide) containing a diorganopolysiloxane bridge and having the following general formula: ##STR30## in which X, R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , R 4 , R 5 , x, y and z are as defined above; (d) optionally, at least one comonomer other than a bis (maleimide) of formula (I) or formula (III) and containing one or more copolymerizable carbon-carbon double bonds; and (e) optionally, a catalyst selected from a free-radical polymerization initiator or an imidazole compound.