HYDROLYSIS OF CERTAIN SCHIFF'S BASES.

Schiff's bases (ketimines) are used as latent low-temperature hardeners of epoxy oligomers in production of polymeric coatings. When epoxy-ketimine compositions are deposited on surfaces, hardening occurs as the result of interaction of epoxy groups with primary amines formed by hydrolysis under the influence of atmospheric moisture. As a result the overall rate of hardening of epoxy oligomers by ketimines must be determined by the rate of hydrolysis of the latter. The Schiff's bases were studied. Examination of the author's results suggests that the irreducible character of hydrolysis of the Schiff's bases studied is due to the presence in their structure of the -C(O)NHC//6H//5 group, which hinders the reverse reaction of ketimine formation. It is also shown that the presence of an N-substituted amide group in the ketimine molecule leads to some acceleration of its hydrolysis and prevents the reverse reaction of ketimine formation.