Preparation of polyester resins

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF CONDENSING REACTANTS WHICH NORMALLY CROSS-LINK AND FORM INSOLUBLE GELS PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF THE DESIRED CONDENSATION REACTION TO FORM A RESINOUS POLYESTER SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF CROSS-LINKING, WHICH COMPRISES CONDUCTING IN A REACTION ZONE THE STEPS OF (1) REACTING A REACTIVE MIXTURE CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF REACTANTS (A) A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF POLYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS HAVING MORE THAN TWO ACTIVE CARBOXYL GROUPS AND POLYHYDRIC ALCOHOLS HAVING MORE THAN TWO ACTIVE HYDROXYL GROUPS, AND (B) A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF POLYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS HAVING TWO ACTIVE CARBOXYL GROUPS AND POLYHYDRIC ALCOHOLS AHVING TWO ACTIVE HYDROXYL GROUPS, IN MOLAR PROPORTIONS THAT PROVIDE A SLIGHT EXCESS OF HYDROXYL GROUPS TO CARBOXYL GROUPS AT CONDENSATION TEMPERATURES FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT AT LEAST 50% REACTION OF SAID HYDROXYL AND CARBOXYL GROUPS BUT INSUFFICIENT TO EFFECT PREMATURE CROSS-LINKING OF SAID REACTANTS; (2) ADDING FROM 0.1 TO ABOUT 1 MOLE PER MOLE OF REACTANT A OF A GLEATION INHIBITOR TO SAID PARTIALLY REACTED MIXTURE, SAID GELATION INHIBITOR BEING A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF C2-13, ALKANOL AND C2-8 ALKNOIC ACID AND HAVING ITS FUNCTIONAL GROUP DIFFERENT FROM THE FUNCTIONAL GROUP OF SAID REACTANT A; (3) CONTINUING THE REACTION OF SAID PARTIALLY REACTED MIXTURE AT CONDENSATION TEMPERATURE TO COMPLETE THE DESIRED POLYCONDENSATION REACTION IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID INHIBITOR WHEREBY PREMATURE CROSS-LINKING OF SAID REACTANTS PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF SAID REACTION IS INHIBITED; (4) REMOVING SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE UNREACTED GELATION INHIBITOR FROM SAID REACTION MIXTURE UNDER CONDITIONS WHEREBY SAID UNREACTED INHIBITOR ISVAPORIZED AND REMOVED FROM SAID ZONE; AND (5) THEREAFTER REMOVING SAID POLYESTER FROM SAID REACTION ZONE.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF CONDENSING REACTANTS WHICH NORMALLY CROSS-LINK AND FORM INSOLUBLE GELS PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF THE DESIRED CONDENSATION REACTION TO FORM A RESINOUS POLYESTER SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF CROSS-LINKING, WHICH COMPRISES CONDUCTING IN A REACTION ZONE THE STEPS OF (1) REACTING A REACTIVE MIXTURE CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF REACTANTS (A) A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF POLYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS HAVING MORE THAN TWO ACTIVE CARBOXYL GROUPS AND POLYHYDRIC ALCOHOLS HAVING MORE THAN TWO ACTIVE HYDROXYL GROUPS, AND (B) A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF POLYCARBOXYLIC ACIDS HAVING TWO ACTIVE CARBOXYL GROUPS AND POLYHYDRIC ALCOHOLS AHVING TWO ACTIVE HYDROXYL GROUPS, IN MOLAR PROPORTIONS THAT PROVIDE A SLIGHT EXCESS OF HYDROXYL GROUPS TO CARBOXYL GROUPS AT CONDENSATION TEMPERATURES FOR A PERIOD OF TIME SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT AT LEAST 50% REACTION OF SAID HYDROXYL AND CARBOXYL GROUPS BUT INSUFFICIENT TO EFFECT PREMATURE CROSS-LINKING OF SAID REACTANTS; (2) ADDING FROM 0.1 TO ABOUT 1 MOLE PER MOLE OF REACTANT A OF A GLEATION INHIBITOR TO SAID PARTIALLY REACTED MIXTURE, SAID GELATION INHIBITOR BEING A MEMBER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF C2-13, ALKANOL AND C2-8 ALKNOIC ACID AND HAVING ITS FUNCTIONAL GROUP DIFFERENT FROM THE FUNCTIONAL GROUP OF SAID REACTANT A; (3) CONTINUING THE REACTION OF SAID PARTIALLY REACTED MIXTURE AT CONDENSATION TEMPERATURE TO COMPLETE THE DESIRED POLYCONDENSATION REACTION IN THE PRESENCE OF SAID INHIBITOR WHEREBY PREMATURE CROSS-LINKING OF SAID REACTANTS PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF SAID REACTION IS INHIBITED; (4) REMOVING SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF THE UNREACTED GELATION INHIBITOR FROM SAID REACTION MIXTURE UNDER CONDITIONS WHEREBY SAID UNREACTED INHIBITOR ISVAPORIZED AND REMOVED FROM SAID ZONE; AND (5) THEREAFTER REMOVING SAID POLYESTER FROM SAID REACTION ZONE.