A novel organosoluble polyimide (PI) with pyrimidine ring in the main chain was synthesized by chemical and thermal imidization, respectively, from 3,3 0 ,4,4 0 -benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride and 2,4-diamino-6-chloropyrimidine as raw materials and its molecular structure, solubility, UV-visible absorption characteristic, crystallinity, thermal stability, electrochemical behaviors, and mechanical properties were also studied. It was found that the introduction of pyrimidine ring in the main chain could increase the solubility of PI in polar aprotic solvents at room temperature and 60 8C, respectively, because of its molecular main chain with asymmetric structure and two polar N atoms in pyrimidine ring. Furthermore, PI had strong optical absorption peak intensity, excellent thermal stability, good redox reversibility, especially outstanding mechanical properties, which were conductive to its potential applications in adhesives, polyelectrolyte, separation membrane, and so on. V C 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J.Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43680.