| Abstract: | A major component of a wood pyrolysis oil, i.e., 4-methyl guaiacol was substituted for phenol in a standard phenol-formaldehyde methylolation reaction. The purpose was to prepare an adhesive resin from the reaction products. These products, however, were not suitable for this purpose. Subsequent gas chromatographic analysis indicated the presence of at least three products. One of these was isolated, but mass spectral and proton magnetic resonance analyses suggested that this was not a single product but a mixture of mono- and di-methylolated isomers. This isomeric mixture complicated interpretation of the mass and p.m.r. spectra; however, it was possible to confirm the presence and identities of the various substituents on the 4-methyl guaiacol ring utilizing these analytical tools. These isomers need to be isolated before valid structural analyses may be made. Conclusions were drawn which indicate the direction of future research on this problem. |
|---|