quite similar and were based on the preparations of bismaleimides from alkylene diamines reported by white j appl poly sci 29 891 899 1984 incorporated herein by reference the following examples are given in the way of illustration only and are not intended as limitations on the scope of the invention in the preparation of the bismaleimic acid from triethylene glycol diamine maleic anhydride 62 g 630 mmol was dissolved in 250 ml chloroform the solution was cooled to 8 u00b0 c in a 500 ml 3 necked round bottom flask equipped with mangetic stirrer and nitrogen inlet triethylene glycol diamine 48 g 320 mmol was added dropwise with the temperature kept below about 10 u00b0 c over a period of three hours which led to precipitation of a white solid within the first hour after the addition was complete the slurry was allowed to warm to room temperature and stirred for two hours more the mixture was then filtered after it was dried under vacuum a white powder 150 g 95 was obtained m p 150 151 5 titration of this solid showed an acid content of 5 77 meq g theoretical acid content is 5 78 meq g spectra nmr ir were consistent with the assigned structure preparation of the tetraethylene glycol diamine maleamic acid was carried out similarly but this material did not precipitate as a solid near the end of the addition two phases appeared the upper phase was a chloroform solution of the bismaleimic acid after removal of the chloroform the residual oil solidified and gave after drying under vacuum a white powder 53 g 87 m p 96 u00b0 101 u00b0 c titration of this solid gave an acid content of 5 24 meq g.