Low VOC Aqueous Polymer Dispersions

A resin formed from the reaction product of a monomer blend comprising:

• a. An ethylenically unsaturated macromonomer, formed from a process comprising the steps of:
• i. producing an acid functional intermediate as the acidolysis reaction product of an engineered polyester and at least one member of the group consisting of acid and anhydride functional materials and blends thereof, optionally in the presence of a catalyst;
• ii. producing a resin intermediate as the reaction product of the acid functional intermediate produced in (i) with an epoxide functional reactant having methacrylic or acrylic unsaturation;
• and
• b. at least one other ethylenically unsaturated monomer.

A method of producing a water dispersible resin comprising the steps of:

• a. providing in a reaction vessel at least one solvent, a resin intermediate and an ethylenically unsaturated coupling agent, wherein the resin intermediate is the reaction product of
• (i) an acid functional intermediate;
• and
• (ii) an hydroxyl-functional reactant,
• wherein the acid functional intermediate is the acidolysis reaction product of an engineered polyester with a member of the group consisting of acid and anhydride functional materials and blends thereof;
• b. reacting the resin intermediate and ethylenically unsaturated coupling agent to produce an ethylenically unsaturated macromonomer;
• c. adding at least one acid functional ethylenically unsaturated monomer to the reaction vessel;
• d. adding an initiator to the reaction vessel suitable for initiating reaction of the ethylenically unsaturated macromonomer and at least one acid functional ethylenically unsaturated monomer.

A method of producing a water dispersible resin comprising the steps of:

• a. providing in a reaction vessel at least one solvent, a resin intermediate and at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer, wherein the resin intermediate is the reaction product of
• (i) an acid functional intermediate;
• and
• (ii) an epoxide functional reactant having methacrylic or acrylic unsaturation;
• wherein the acid functional intermediate is the acidolysis reaction product of an engineered polyester with a member of the group consisting of acid and anhydride functional materials and blends thereof
• b. adding an initiator to the reaction vessel suitable for initiating reaction of the resin intermediate and the at least one acid functional ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and
• c. reacting the resin intermediate and at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer.