content_image/948551.jpg content_image/948552.jpg
to give a transparent solution (no turbidity) for 120 hours or greater. Other condensates formed by the processes described herein were observed to have a solubility up to 80 wt.% solids (and sometimes greater) for at least 500 hours. 

[0027] In comparison, most of the condensates from prior art processes typically dissolve only up to 40 wt.% (solids) and in selected cases roughly about 60 wt. % in common solvents such as MEK. 

[0028] The processes for forming the condensates as described herein also allow for the production of the conden› sates in large reaction vessels with improved control over melt viscosity than the prior methods to produce similar con› densates. 

[0029] In one aspect, the triazine-arylhydroxy-aldehyde condensate is formed from a reaction mixture of a triazine monomer, an arylhydroxy monomer, and an aldehyde mono› mer, and an acid catalyst having a pKa of greater than 3.8, which are described as follows. In one embodiment, the tri› azine monomer may include an aldehyde functional group, such as an aldehyde modified triazine monomer. The alde› hyde modified triazine monomer may be used in place of a separate triazine monomer and a separate aldehyde monomer to form the condensate. 

## The Triazine Monomer 

[0030] The triazine monomer may be a triazine compound or a triazine derivative. An example of a triazine compound is melamine and an example of a triazine derivative is a melamine derivative. The triazine derivative may also be an aldehyde modified triazine monomer, such as hexam› ethoxymethylmelamine (HMMM) or hexamethy› lolmelamine. The aldehyde modified triazine monomer may provide for the aldehyde presence in the triazine-arylhy› droxy-aldehyde condensate and remove the need for a sepa› rate aldehyde monomer. 

[0031] One embodiment of the triazine monomer may be represented by the following formula: 

wherein R$_{1 }$ and R$_{2 }$ may each be independently a hydrogen atom or a functional group selected from the group of an amino group (-NH$_{2}$ ), an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, a vinyl group (----CH=CH$_{2}$ ), or a group containing a combination of the functional groups. 

[0032] Suitable compounds that may be used as the triazine monomer include compounds selected from the group of aminotriazine, 4-methyl-1,3,5-triazine-2-amine, 2-amino-4, 6-dimethy 1-1,3, 5-triazine, melamine, hexamethoxymeth› y lmelamine, hexamethylolmelamine, guanamine, acetogua› namine, propioguanamine, butyroguanamine, benzoguanamine, vinylguanamine, 6-(hydroxyphenyl)-2,4- diamino-1,3,5-triazine, and combinations thereof. 

[0033] The triazine monomer may also be a mixture of one or more triazine compounds, such as melamine, and a second amine compound, such as benzoguanamine or acetoguan› amine. The quantity of melamine is at least 50% by weight of 

<img src='content_image/948551.jpg'>

the mixture and the second amine compound may be from about 0.5% to not more than about 50% by weight of the mixture. In one embodiment, the amount of the second amine compound may be from about 1 % to not more than about 25% by weight of the mixture. 

[0034] The triazine monomer may also be a mixture of melamine and two or more amines, such as benzoguanamine and acetoguanamine, wherein the first of one or more amines is not more than about 35% by weight of the mixture, the second of the one or more amines is not more than 35% by weight of the mixture, and the quantity of melamine is at least 50% by weight of the mixture. In one embodiment, the ben› zoguanamine and acetoguanamine combined are not more than 25% by weight of the mixture and the melamine is at least 75% by weight of the mixture. 

## The Arylhydroxy Monomer 

[0035] The arylhydroxy monomer may be any suitable aro› matic monomer, such as a phenol monomer. The quantity of an ary !hydroxy monomer in the reaction mixture for forming the condensates as described herein may be from about 3 to about30 moles, such as from about 9to about 14 moles, of the arylhydroxy monomer for each mole of triazine monomer. Thus, the molar ratio of arylhydroxy monomer to triazine monomer may be from about 3: 1 to about 30: 1, such as from about 9:1 to about 14:1. This quantity of arylhydroxy mono› mer in the reaction mixture, i.e., charged to the reaction vessel, may be greater than the amount which reacts in the formation of the condensate. Free, non-reacted, arylhydroxy monomer, such as phenol, may be distilled out of the reaction mixture after completion of the condensate reaction. 

[0036] Non-limiting examples of arylhydroxy monomers include phenol (phenolic) monomer type compounds. A phe› nol monomer type compound includes compounds having one or more aromatic hydroxyl groups per molecule, includ› ing, for example, mononuclear or binuclear, monohydrox› yphenols or dihydroxyphenols (diphenolics, benzene dials). Phenol monomer type compounds having at least one ortho or para position available for bonding are preferred compounds. The phenol monomer type compounds may be an unsubsti› tuted or substituted compound, for example, with an alkyl group, a phenyl group, a hydroxybenzene group, an alkoxy group, and combinations and subsets thereof. The phenol monomer type compound may also include compounds hav› ing up to about 15 carbon atoms such as up to about 8 carbon atoms. 

(I) 

[0037] Suitable phenol monomers include compounds selected from the groups of cresols, xylenols, bis-phenols, alkylated bisphenols, alkoxyphenols, dihydroxy benzene ( diphenolics, benzene dials), naphthols, bi phenols, alkylated biphenols, trisphenols, and combinations thereof. 

[0038] Examples of suitable phenol monomers may include compounds represented by the following formula: 

<img src='content_image/948552.jpg'>

(II) 

