cally. Next, the reaction mixture was under a gradually increasing vacuum over 3 hours to a full vacuum of at least 27 inches while maintaining a temperature of 163 °-165° C., then heating the reaction mixture to 175° C. over 1 hour under full vacuum, followed by maintaining the vacuum and tempera› ture at 17 5° C. for 15 minutes, and then steaming the reaction mixture (or water sparge) at 175° C. for 60 minutes, and after 60 minutes, cooling the resin to 164°-167° C. in about 15 minutes. Further, the process was concluded by removing the vacuum distillate ( 426.6 g) and discharging the product (212.9 g) from the reaction vessel. 

[0152] In this instance, no stabilizer was added as the melt viscosity of the resin was 1333 cps at 175° C. The condensate dissolved completely in MEK, acetone, THF, methanol and Dowanol PM at almost any concentration. The 33 wt. % to 60 wt.% solids remained dissolved in MEK with only trace at the bottom for instance for more than 240 hours. The 70 wt. % and 80 wt. % solids remained dissolved in MEK indefinitely. 

## Preparation of Melamine-Phenol-Formaldehyde Condensate 

[0153] The process for Example 2 was initiated by charging 828.0 lbs phenol (8.8 moles), 1.66 lbs benzoic acid (0.2% of phenol), and 120 lbs melamine (0.95 moles) into a reaction vessel to form a reaction mixture. The reaction mixture was heated to 80° C., and 85.4 lbs of 49.79% aqueous formalde› hyde (60% of total charge) was added over 40 minutes. The reaction mixture was atmospherically distilled while increas› ing the temperature of the reaction mixture to 123° C., then maintaining the 123 ° C. temperature for 2 hours before reduc› ing the reaction mixture temperature to 80° C. 57 .2 lbs of 49.79% aqueous formaldehyde (40% of total charge) was added in over 30 minutes to the reaction mixture, followed by atmospherically distilled to 123° C., maintained at the tem› perature of 123° C. for 1.5 hours, and then increasing the temperature over 45-50 minutes to 165° C. and continuing to distill atmospherically. Next, the reaction mixture was under a gradually increasing vacuum over 3 hours to full vacuum of at least 27 inches while maintaining a temperature of 163°- 1650 C., followed by heating the reaction mixture to 17 5° C. over 1 hour under full vacuum, then maintaining the vacuum and temperature at 175° C. for 15 minutes before steaming the reaction mixture (or water sparge) at 175° C. for 60 minutes, and after 60 minutes cooling the resin to 164°-167° C. in about 15 minutes. 

[0154] In this instance, the melt viscosity of the resin was 1983 cps at 175° C. About 3.2 lbs each of ortho and para cresol was added to the resin. The resin was held in the reactor for about 9 hours at 165° C. Further, the process was con› cluded by collecting the vacuum distillate (634 lbs) and dis› charging the product (318 lbs) from the reactor assembly. The condensate exhibited solubility similar to that of example 1. For instance, the 33 wt. % solids dissolved readily in MEK and remained dissolved for greater than 500 hours. 

## Preparation of Melamine-Phenol-Formaldehyde Condensate 

[0155] The process for Example 3 is initiated by charging 221.5 g phenol (2.35 moles), 31.9 g melamine (0.25 moles), 36.6 g of 50% formaldehyde (0.61 moles) into a reaction 

## Example 2 

## Example 3 

vessel to form a reaction mixture, heating the reaction mix› ture under distillation mode until distillation starts around 115-120° C., gradually increasing the temperature up to about 170° C. while water and phenol are removed atmospherically. Then, applying a vacuum gradually until most of non-reacted phenol is removed, and water sparging the reaction mixture at about 180° C. to reduce the phenol level to <l % in the final product. The process is concluded by removing phenol (172 g) distillate and discharging the product (87 .3 g) from the reaction vessel. The recovered product exhibited a solubility of almost any concentration such as from 33 wt.% solids to 70 wt. % solids in common solvents such as MEK. Such solu› tions remained dissolved in a MEK for greater than 500 hours or indefinitely without precipitation. 

## Preparation of Melamine-Phenol-Formaldehyde Condensate 

[0156] The process for Example 4 was initiated by charging 593.5 g phenol (6.31 moles) and 75.2 g melamine (0.60 moles) into a reaction vessel to form a reaction mixture. The reaction mixture was heated to 80° C., and 53.14 g of 50.15% aqueous formaldehyde ( 60% of total charge) was added over 15 minutes. The reaction mixture was atmospherically dis› tilled to 133° C., then maintained at 133° C. temperature for 2 hours, followed by reducing the reaction mixture tempera› ture to 80° C. 35.45 g of50.15% aqueous formaldehyde (40% of total charge) was added in about 20 minutes to the reaction mixture, then atmospherically distilling the reaction mixture to 133° C., maintained at 133° C. for 1.3 hours, and then increasing the temperature over 60 minutes to 165° C. while continuing to distill atmospherically. Next, the reaction mix› ture was under a gradually increasing vacuum over 2 hours to full vacuum of at least 27 inches while maintaining a tem› perature of 163°-165° C., and then heating the reaction mix› ture to 175° C. under full vacuum. Further, the process is concluded by removing the vacuum distillate (439.7 g) and discharging the product (236.7 g) from the reaction vessel. The condensate exhibited a solubility of 33% and higher solids dissolved in a solvent for 120 hours or greater. 

## Preparation of Melamine-Phenol-Formaldehyde Condensate 

[0157] The process for Example 5 was initiated by charging 593.5 g phenol (6.31 moles), 4.3 g of acetic acid (0.72% of phenol) and 75.2 g melamine (0.60 moles) into a reaction vessel to form a reaction mixture. The reaction mixture was heated to 80° C., and 64.1 g of50.3% aqueous formaldehyde (60% of total charge) was added in over 20 minutes. The reaction mixture went under atmospherically distilling to 123° C., then maintained at 123° C. for 2 hours followed by reducing the reaction mixture temperature to 80° C. 42.5 g of 50.3% aqueous formaldehyde ( 40% of total charge) was added over about 20 minutes to the reaction mixture, followed by atmospherically distilling the reaction mixture to 123° C., then maintaining the temperature at 123 ° C. for 1. 6 hours, and finally increasing the temperature over 60 minutes to 165° C. and continuing to distill atmospherically. Next, the reaction mixture was under a gradually increasing vacuum over 2 hours to full vacuum of at least 27 inches while maintaining a temperature of 163°-165° C., and then heating the reaction 

## Example 4 

## Example 5 

