Condensation products of phenol, polycyclic phenols and formaldehyde

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A LIQUID CONDENSATION PRODUCT OF PHENOL, FORMALDEHYDE AND AT LEAST ONE POLYCYCLIC PHENOL CONTAINING 2-6 BENZENE RINGS AND HAVING 1-4 PHENOLIC HYDROXYL GROUPS ATTACHED TO SAID RINGS, AT LEAST ONE OF THE POSITIONS ORTHO AND PARA TO AT LEAST ONE OF SAID HYDROXYL GROUPS UNSUBSTITUTED, IN THE PRESENCE OF 4-50 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF AN ALKALINE CATALYST, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING STEEPING 3-50 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF THE POLYCYCLIC PHENOL WITH 50-150 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF FORMALDEHYDE, PART OF THE CATALYST AND WATER FOR AT LEAST ONE HOUR AT 60-120*F., ADDING 100 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF PHENOL, HEATING THE REACTION MIXTURE THUS FORMED TO REFLUX TEMPERATURE TO A 150*F. HYDROPHOBE END POINT, ADDING A SECOND PORTION OF THE CATALYST AND CONTINUING THE HEATING UNTIL THE REACTION MIXTURE BECOMES VISCOUS, ADDING THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE CATALYST, CONTINUING THE HEATING UNTIL THE LAST PORTION OF CATALYST IS DISPERSED AND THEN COOLING THE REACTION MIXTURE.