Aromatic non-polymeric amic acid salts are designed to be thermally converted into corresponding arylene diimides. These aromatic, non-polymeric amic acid salts can be used to prepare semiconducting thin films that can be used in various articles including thin-film transistor devices that can be incorporated into a variety of electronic devices. In this manner, the arylene diimide need not be coated but is generated in situ from a solvent-soluble, easily coated aromatic, non-polymeric amic acid salt at relatively lower temperature because the cation portion of the amic acid salt acts as an internal catalyst.