Cyclic acetals of 2-epoxy-propoxy-pivaldehydes. They can be used by themselves, if they contain two or more epoxy groups, or as reactive diluents in a mixture with other epoxide resins, and they give mouldings of excellent mechanical properties on curing with amines or acid anhydrides.
A method of making 2,2-dimethyl-4-(2',3'-epoxy)propoxymethyl-1,3-dioxolane is disclosed, wherein isopropylidene glycerol and epichlorohydrin are reacted in a molar ratio of 0.7:1.0 to 1.0:0.7, respectively, in the presence of at least one Lewis acid or at least one strong inorganic acid at temperatures 283.degree. K. to 373.degree. K., and the initially formed isopropylidene glycerol chlorohydrin ether is reacted with a strongly alkaline base in a molar ratio of chlorohydrin ether to the alkaline base of 1.0:1.0 to 1.0:1.1, respectively, to givbe the 2,2-dimethyl-4-(2',3'-epoxy)propoxymethyl-1,3-dioxolane. This compound is suitable for use as an intermediate for the production of nonionic and/or ionic surfactants, as a reactive diluent and as an auxiliary solvent and auxiliary stabilizer.
Polysaccharide aldehydes having the formula Sacch--O--CH.sub.2 --CH.dbd.CH--CHO, Saach--O--CH.sub.2 --C.tbd.C--CHO, ##STR1## starch, cellulose, and gum aldehydes, are useful for imparting wet, dry, or temporary wet strength to paper. They are prepared by a non-oxidative method which involves reacting the polysaccharide base, in the presence of alkali, with a derivatizing acetal reagent having the general structure ##STR2## and then hydrolyzing the acetal by adjusting the pH to less than 7, preferably 2-4. In the formulas, n is 1-3; R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 are independently an alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, or alkaryl group when n is 1, R.sup.11 or R.sup.12 is one of the groups when n is 2, or R.sup.11 and R.sup.12 are not present when n is 3; R.sup.13 is an alkyl group, optionally containing an ether linkage, or an aralkyl group; R.sup.14 and R.sup.15 are individually a hydrogen or a methyl group; R.sup.16, R.sup.17, and R.sup.18 are individually an alkyl group; Y.sup.- is an anion; Z is an organic group capable of reacting with the polysaccharide base to form an ether derivative and selected from the group consisting of an epoxide, ethylenically unsaturated group, halohydrin, and halogen; R.sup.19, if present, is a divalent organic group containing no reactive substiuents; and A and A' are lower alkyls or together form at least a 5-membered cyclic acetal.
