A new kind of asymmetrical ether diamine,3,4'-bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzophenone (BABP),was synthesized from the nucleophilic substitution reaction of 4-chloronitrobenzene and 3,4'-dihydroxybenzophenone in the presence of potassium carbonate,followed by catalytic reduction with SnCl2-6H2O and concentrated hydrochloric acid.The prepared diamine was employed in the preparation of a novel polyimide containing asymmetrical diaryl ether segments via the polycondensation of it with BTDA by a two-step method.The resulting polyimide exhibits excellent solubility,film-forming capability and high thermal resistance.