PHP4 up through versions 4.2.3 installed without incident on the same hardware/software configuration.  Imap version is 2000c-stackgaurdC3.  This is running on a Sun Cobalt RaQ550 server appliance, so upgrading the installed version of imap is not a desirable option.

./configure --with-imap --with-imap-ssl
results in the following:

checking for IMAP support... yes
checking for pam_start in -lpam... yes
checking for crypt in -lcrypt... (cached) yes
checking whether SSL libraries are needed for c-client... /usr/lib
checking whether IMAP works... no
configure: error: build test failed. Please check the config.log for details.

config.log shows the following:

configure:34447: checking for IMAP support
configure:34805: checking for pam_start in -lpam
configure:34824: gcc -o conftest -g -O2   conftest.c -lpam  -lcrypt -lresolv -lm -ldl -lnsl  -lcrypt 1>&5
configure:34852: checking for crypt in -lcrypt
configure:35246: checking whether SSL libraries are needed for c-client
configure:35407: checking whether IMAP works
configure:35440: gcc -o conftest -g -O2   conftest.c -lcrypto -lssl -lc-client   -lcrypt -lpam -lcrypt -lresolv -lm -ldl -lnsl  -lcrypt 1>&5
/usr/lib/libc-client.a(osdep.o): In function `ssl_onceonlyinit':
/usr/src/redhat/BUILD/imap-2000c/c-client/auth_ssl.c:153: the use of `tmpnam' is dangerous, better use `mkstemp'
/usr/lib/libc-client.a(mail.o): In function `mm_cache':
/usr/src/redhat/BUILD/imap-2000c/c-client/mail.c:185: undefined reference to `__canary_death_handler'
/usr/lib/libc-client.a(mail.o): In function `mail_parameters':
/usr/src/redhat/BUILD/imap-2000c/c-client/mail.c:459: undefined reference to `__canary_death_handler'
/usr/lib/libc-client.a(mail.o): In function `mail_valid':
/usr/src/redhat/BUILD/imap-2000c/c-client/mail.c:490: undefined reference to `__canary_death_handler'
/usr/lib/libc-client.a(mail.o): In function `mail_valid_net':
/usr/src/redhat/BUILD/imap-2000c/c-client/mail.c:508: undefined reference to `__canary_death_handler'
/usr/lib/libc-client.a(mail.o): In function `mail_valid_net_parse':
/usr/src/redhat/BUILD/imap-2000c/c-client/mail.c:619: undefined reference to `__canary_death_handler'
/usr/lib/libc-client.a(mail.o):/usr/src/redhat/BUILD/imap-2000c/c-client/mail.c:677: more undefined references to `__canary_death_handler' follow
collect2: ld returned 1 exit status
configure: failed program was:
#line 35415 "configure"
#include "confdefs.h"

    void mm_log(void){}
    void mm_dlog(void){}
    void mm_flags(void){}
    void mm_fatal(void){}
    void mm_critical(void){}
    void mm_nocritical(void){}
    void mm_notify(void){}
    void mm_login(void){}
    void mm_diskerror(void){}
    void mm_status(void){}
    void mm_lsub(void){}
    void mm_list(void){}
    void mm_exists(void){}
    void mm_searched(void){}
    void mm_expunged(void){}
    char mail_open();
    int main() {
      mail_open(0,"",0);
      return 0;
    }