Highly reactive alkaline phenolformaldehyde condensates

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A CONDENSATION PRODUCT IN AQUEOUS ALKALINE MEDIUM WHICH COMPRISES (A) INITIALLY CONTACTING 1 HYDROXYL EQUIVALENT PROPORTION OF A PHEBNOL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PHENOL, METHYLENE BISPHENOLS, AND MIXTURES THEREOF, WITH FROM 2.1 TO 3.25MOLAR PROPIRTIONS OF FORMADEHYDE AND FROM 0.3 TO 0.6 MOLAR PROPORTION OF AN ALKALI METAL HYDROXYDE AT A TEMPERTURE OF FROM 160*F. TO REFLUX FOR FROM 15 TO 45 MINUTES, THE RELATIVE PROPORTION OF ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE BEING CHOSEN AS TO CONSTITUTE FROM 12 TO 20 MOL PERCENT BASED UPON THE FORMALDEHYDE, (B) ADJUSTING THE MIXTURE TO A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 140*F. TO REFLUX AND MAINTAINING SAID TEMPERATURE UNTIL A 70*F. VISCOSITY OF FROM 100 TO 50, 000 MACMICHAEL #26D UNITS IS ATTAINED, (C) ADDING A FURTHER QUANTITY OF ALKALI METL HYDROXIDE IN A PROPORTION SUCH THAT THE TOTAL ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE IN THE MIXTURE IS NO MORE THAN 0.8 MOLAR PROPORTION PER HYDROXYL EQUIVALENT PROPORTION O THE PHENOL WHILE MAINTAINING THE MIXTURE AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 10*F. TO REFLUX UNTIL A 70*F. FISCOSITY OF FROM 25 TO 5000 MACMICHAEL #26D UNITS IS ATTAINED, (D) ADDING IN FROM 1 TO 4 FURTHER INCREMENTS SUFFICIENT ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE TO RAISE THE TOTAL ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE IN THE MIXTURE TO FROM 1..0 TO 2.0 MOLAR PROPORTIONS PER HYDROXYL EQUIVALENT PROPORTION OF THE PHENOL, HEATING THE MIXTURE AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 140*F. TO REFLUX TO ATTAIN 70*F. VISCOSITIES OF FROM 25 TO 150 MACMICHALE #26D UNITS BETWEEN EACH INCREMENTAL ADDITION AND (E) RAPIDLY COOLING THE MIXTURE TO ROOM TEMPERATURE.