Process for preparing glycidyl polyethers of polyhydric phenols

Claim 1

PROCESS FOR THE PREPARATION OF MONOMERIC GLYCIDYL POLYETHERS OF POLYHYDRIC POLYNUCLEAR PHENOLS WHICH COMPRISES REACTING AT A TEMPERATURE NOT IN EXCESS OF 45*C. A MIXTURE CONTAINING A MOLAR AMOUNT OF A POLYHYDRIC POLYNUCLEAR PHENOL AND EPICHLOROHYDRIN IN MOLAR AMOUNTS EQUIVALENT TO AT LEAST ABOUT TWICE THE NUMBER OF PHENOLIC HYDROXYL GROUPS IN SAID PHENOL IN THE PRESENCE OF A CATALYTIC AMOUNT OF CATALYST WHICH GENERATES A PHENOXIDE ION IN SAID REACTION MIXTURE, AID CATALYST BEING PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT UP TO 0.25 EQUIVALENT PER PHENOLIC HYDROXYL GROUP AND SUFFICIENT TO IMPACT TO THE REACTION MIXTURE AN ALKALINITY COLORING PHENOL PHTHALEIN, UNTIL SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE SAID PHENOL HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO ITS COLOROHYDRIN ETHER, REMOVING THE UNREACTED EPICHLOROHYDRIN FROM THE SAID CHLOROHYDRIN ETHER AND ADDING TO SAID CHLOROHYDRIN ETHER AN AMOUNT OF ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE SUFFICIENT TO PROVIDE FROM ABOUT 100 TO ABOUT 105 PERCENT OF THE STOICHIOMETRIC AMOUNT OF ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE REQUIRED FOR COMPLETE DEHYDROCHLORINATION OF SAID CHLOROHYDRIN ETHER.