Polymer resins for the vat photopolymerization of thermoplastics are provided, in particular for the vat photopolymerization of thermoplastics with exception thermal stability and mechanical properties. In some aspects, the polymer resins are prepared by ring opening of an aromatic dianhydride with an alcohol containing an acrylate or methacrylate to produce a photocrosslinkable diacid monomer; conversion of the photocrosslinkable diacid monomer to a photocrosslinkable diacyl chloride; and polymerization of the photocrosslinkable diacyl chloride with an aromatic diamine to produce a photocrosslinkable precursor polymer. Upon crosslinking and drying, a thermal imidization can yield aromatic polyimide polymers with high yield and with micron-scale structural resolution.