Abstract: Aqueous solutions of melamine-formaldehyde and melamine-urea-formaldehyde condensation products having anionic sulfo groups in concentrations as high as 50% by weight may be prepared in a three-stage process. In the first stage, melamine or a mixture of melamine with up to 40 mole-% urea, formaldehyde, and an alkali metal sulfite are condensed in aqueous solution at 60.degree.-80.degree.C and pH 10-13 until the solution is free from readily detectable amounts of sulfite. In the second stage, condensation is continued at pH 3.0-4.5 for 30 to 90 minutes. In the third stage, a temperature of 70.degree. to 95.degree.C and a pH of 7.5 to 9.0 are maintained until a sample of the solution, when diluted to 20% solids by weight, has a viscosity of 5 to 40 centipoises at 20.degree.C.

Abstract: A thermosetting resin useful for attaching decorative paper facings to chipboard and like cellulosic panels is prepared by condensation of melamine with thiourea, formaldehyde, and a diol ether, up to one half by weight of the melamine being capable of being replaced by urea without seriously effecting the quality of the resin.

Abstract: O-Methyl-isourea hydrogen sulfate is prepared from cyanamide, methanol, and sulfuric acid in a yield of better than 90% when crystalline cyanamide is added to a mixture of sulfuric acid and methanol containing 50 - 150 parts by weight methanol per part sulfuric acid and holding the resulting composition at -10.degree. to 20.degree.C. The recovered O-methyl-isourea hydrogen sulfate is further converted to O-methyl-isourea sulfate with yields greatly exceeding 50%, and even 80%, by holding a mixture of approximately equimolar amounts of cyanamide and of the hydrogen sulfate in a liquid medium essentially consisting of methanol at 5.degree. to 40.degree.C until the O-methyl-isourea sulfate is formed and can be recovered.