Process for preparing moulded bodies and coatings

A process for the preparation of molded bodies and coatings which comprises reacting at least one epoxy compound containing more than one 1,2-epoxy group per molecule alone or in combination with at least one mono-epoxide, with at least one substituted amine of formula ##STR13## being free from other phenols and in which R.sup.1 is hydrogen or methyl, R.sup.2 is a radical of at least one of formulae ##STR14## and R.sup.3 is hydrogen, a hydroxy group, a carboxylic group or methyl, said amine (I) having been obtained by reaction of (A) a substance selected from the group consisting of at least one xylylenediamine, and hydrogenation product thereof in the form of bis-(aminomethyl)-cyclohexanes according to one of the following processes with (Ba) a hydroxybenzaldehyde or a hydroxyacetophenone in a first step to form a Schiff's base and followed by hydrogenation of said base in a second step at 50 to 100 bar H.sub.2 to form the compound of formula (I), (Bb) a dimethylaminomethylphenol or with the corresponding cresol derivative or with at least one Mannich base, each of them being free from other phenols but derived from at least one phenol, formaldehyde and such primary monoamines, the aliphatic .alpha.-carbon atom of which is bound to at least two aliphatic carbon atoms of hydrocarbon groups, and/or substitution products thereof, the substituent of which is inert towards the reaction, splitting off and therefore substituting completely or to a large extent the dimethylamine group or the primary monoamine component of the Mannich base by the component (A) at a temperature of from 100.degree. to 200.degree. C. to yield a compound of formula (I), and (Bc) at least one phenolhexamethylenetetramine condensation product of a molar ratio of 3:1 to 6:1 of at least one of the formulae ##STR15## said products being free from other phenols, splitting off and therefore substituting ammonia by component (A) at a temperature of from 100.degree. to 200.degree. C. to form a compound of formula (I) wherein the amines of formula (I) are reacted in an amount being at least equivalent to the epoxy groups in the epoxy resin and at most in an excess of up to 50 mol-%, wherein said amine (I) is used as a hardener per se or in solution and has a content of phenolic OH-groups of at least 6.7% by weight and the reaction of the epoxy compounds with the amines of formula (I) is performed at a temperature of at least -5.degree. C.