Use of a fatty acid oxazoline derivative as a reactive diluent

Oxazoline derivatives of the mixture of fatty acids found in tall oil were used as a reactive diluent for two types of alkyd polymers. The polymers had relatively good solubility in the oxazoline and solutions with moderate viscosity were obtained. Films made from the polymer solutions showed little property development at ambient temperatures even after several days. However, films cured at elevated temperatures had good properties in terms of solvent resistance, hardness and gloss. The degree of property development depended on the length of time the films remained at an elevated temperature.