GB868861A - Preparation of glycidyl polyethers of polyhydric phenols - Google Patents

Abstract

Glycidyl polyethers of polyhydric phenols, which are essentially monomeric, are prepared by reacting a polyhydric phenol with more than a stoichiometric amount of epichlorhydrin, in the absence of an organic hydroxylated compound other than the polyhydric phenol, in the presence of less than the stoichiometric amount of a lithium compound as catalyst and in the presence of 0,001-1% by weight of water, at a temperature not above 60 DEG C., to form the corresponding chlorohydrin ethers, and then dehydrochlorinating the latter. Suitable polyhydric phenols include the novolak condensation products of a phenol and an unsaturated or saturated aldehyde, (e.g. acrolein), containing an average of 3-20 or more phenylol groups per molecule. In examples, the glycidyl polyether prepared as above from bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) dimethylmethane is cured with 4, 41-methylene dianiline. Specifications 666,732, 787,051 and 788,556 are referred to.ALSO:Glycidyl polyethers of polyhydric phenols are prepared by reacting a polyhydric phenol with more than a stoichiometric amount of epichlorohydrin, in the absence of an organic hydroxylated compound other than the polyhydric phenol, in the presence of less than a stoichiometric amount of a lithium compound as catalyst and in the presence of 0,001-1% by weight of water, at a temperature not above 60 DEG C., to form the corresponding chlorohydrin ethers, and then dehydrochlorinating the latter, preferably by reaction with excess inorganic base in a mixed solvent comprising (1) a water-soluble solvent for the chlorohydrin ethers, and (2) a water-insoluble solvent for the glycidyl ethers. Suitable phenols include resorcinol, pyrogallol, the di- or polynuclear phenols such as the bis-phenols described in Specification 666,732, and the novolak condensation products of a phenol and an aldehyde containing 3-20 or more phenylol groups, such as those of Specifications 787,051 and 788,556. The phenols may contain alkyl, aryl or halogen ring substituents, such as alkyl resorcinols and tribromoresorcinols. Specified phenols are bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)- methane, -dimethylmethane, and -sulphone, 1,1,3-tri(hydroxyphenyl)- propane, and 1,1,5,5-tetra(hydroxyphenyl)- pentane. Specified lithium compounds are lithium chloride, bromide, iodide, naphthenate, acetate, propionate, butyrate, hydroxide and oxide.