Pyromellitic dihydrazides as hydrolytically stable analogs of pyromellitic diimide

The utility of aromatic diimides in materials can be compromised by their instability toward nucleophiles such as water. Here, we present pyromellitic dihydrazides (PMDHs) as a robust alternative that retains the favorable optoelectronic and thermal properties of the parent imides while eliminating their hydrolytic weakness. These solution-processible compounds feature reversible electrochemistry and withstand high temperatures, yet remain chemically inert under harsh alkaline conditions that degrade standard cyclic imides. These findings introduce the cyclic hydrazide motif as a versatile, superior building block of potential interest to researchers engineering robust functional materials.