The Dow Chemical Company

Joseph A Schomaker

Robert E Hefner, Jr

Jimmy D Earls

Jerry E White

Ha Q Pham

Anthony P Haag

Poly(hydroxy ethers) are prepared by reacting a dihydric phenol with a diepoxide in the presence of a catalyst selected from the group consisting of bis(trihydrocarbylphosphoranylidene)ammonium salt, bis[tris(dihydrocarbylamino)phosphoranylidene]ammonium salt, and tetrakis[tris(dihydrocarbylamino)phosphoranylideneamino]phosphonium salt. The reaction between the dihydric phenol and the diepoxide is conducted in an ether or hydroxy ether solvent at a temperature sufficiently high to produce a poly(hydroxy ether). Polymers prepared by the new process are more highly branched than those produced by known methods.

Process for the preparation of thermoplastic poly(hydroxy ethers)

Epoxy resins containing more than one vicinal epoxide group per molecule and at least one thiadiazole, oxadiazole or both thiadiazole and oxadiazole moiety per molecule are disclosed, as well as curable and cured compositions thereof. Certain of these epoxy resins possess enantiotropic liquid crystallinity. These enantiotropic epoxy resins are useful in preparing copolymers with high glass transition temperatures and liquid crystalline morphology, which can result in enhanced unidirectional mechanical properties. These epoxy resins are useful in coating, casting, encapsulation, electronic or structural laminate or composite, filament winding or molding applications.

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Midland, MI, United States of America

Joseph A Schomaker