Owens-Illinois, Inc.

Allied Chemical Corporation

Edward L Steiger

Heinz J Dietrich

Charles T O'Neill

There is disclosed the preparation of novel liquid-crystal compounds of the structure: ##STR1## WHERE X AND Y ARE THE SAME OR DIFFERENT INTEGERS OF 1 TO 10, TYPICALLY 1 TO 5, AND WHERE AB is selected from ##STR2##

Liquid crystal or mesomorphic 4-methoxyalkoxy-4'-alkyl azoxybenzene

There is disclosed the preparation of novel liquid-crystal compounds of the structure: ##STR1## WHERE X AND Y ARE THE SAME OR DIFFERENT INTEGERS OF 1 TO 10, TYPICALLY 1 TO 5.

Novel liquid-crystal compounds

In the production of urea/formaldehyde molding resins, wherein urea and formaldehyde are reacted under alkaline conditions to form a liquid resinous composition, the composition is blended with a filler and the filled composition is dried, there is provided an improvement comprising reducing the level of formaldehyde fumes discharged to the atmosphere during drying by a process which comprises the steps of: A. charging urea and formaldehyde to a reaction vessel in amounts to provide an initial mol ratio of formaldehyde to urea of about 1.0 to about 2.0 mols formaldehyde per mol of urea; B. reacting the urea and formaldehyde in water at a temperature in the range of about 50.degree. to 65.degree. C. and at a pH of about 7.0 to about 9.0; C. continuing the reaction until the mol ratio of formaldehyde to urea in the resin is at least about 75 percent of the initial mol ratio; and D. adding additional urea in an amount of about 0.5 to 10 percent by weight based upon the amount of urea initially charged; whereby the amount of formaldehyde discharged to the atmosphere is reduced.

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Toledo, OH, United States of America

Edward L Steiger