Preparation of resins from aromatics and aldehydes

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING RESINS IN WHICH AN AROMATIC HYDROCARBON IS CONDENSED WITH AN ALDEHYDE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN ACID CATALYST SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF SULFURIC ACID, ARYL SULFONIC ACIDS, SULFONATED POLYSTYRENE, FORMIC ACID, ZINC CHLORIDE IN ACETIC ACID, HYDROFLUORIC ACID, HYDROCHLORIC ACID, BORON TRIFLUORIDE, BORON TRIFLUORIDE ETHERATE, ALUMINUM CHLORIDE, FERRIC CHLORIDE, PHOSPHORIC ACID, AND ACIDIC CLAYS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES ADMIXING ALKYL SUBSTITUTED AROMATICS OF 1 TO 3 RINGS HAVING 1 TO 4 ALKYL SUBSTITUENT PER RING AND UP TO ABOUT 4 CARBON ATOMS PER SUBSTITUENT WITH AN ALDEHYDE AND 1 TO 20 WEIGHT PERCENT, BASED ON TOTAL REACTIVE CHARGE, OF AN INERT WATER-AZEOTROPING AGENT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF C1 TO C3 CHLORINATED HYDROCARBONS POLYCHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS, SATURATED CYCLIC AND ACYCLIC HYDROCARBONS, CYCLIC AND ACYLIC ETHERS, AND BENZENE, AND MAINTAINING THE RESULTING MIXTURE IN LIQUID FORM AT A REACTION TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 75* TO 212*F. IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID CATALYST WHILE CONTINUOUSLY REMOVING AN AZEOTROPIC VAPOR MIXTURE OF WATER AND SAID AZEOTROPING AGENT FROM THE LIQUID REACTION MIXTURE AS THE REACTION PROCEEDS.