Cross-linked reaction products of alkoxylated alcohols and alkylene glycols

A process comprising the steps of

• i) reacting a compound of formula II
• R.sup.2 (OA).sub.n --OH (II)
• wherein R.sup.2 is an aliphatic group containing from 4 to 36 carbon atoms, n is a number of from 1 to 200, and each OA group is independently an ethyleneoxy, 1,2-propyleneoxy, or 1,2-butyleneoxy group;
• and a compound of formula III
• H--(OA).sub.m --OH (III)
• wherein OA is as defined above, and m is a number of from 1 to 500, in an organic solvent that azeotropes water, in the presence of an alkali metal alkoxide or hydroxide, and under azetoropic distillation conditions to remove water, to obtain a reaction mixture containing reaction product;
• ii) adding to the reaction mixture from step i) a linking compound of formula I
• R.sup.1 (X).sub.3 (I)
• wherein each X group is a halogen atom or one X group is a halogen atom and two X groups together with two carbon atoms from the R.sup.1 group and an oxygen atom form an epoxy group and R.sup.1 is an alkanetriyl group containing from 3 to 10 carbon atoms, and reacting the compound of formula I with the reaction mixture from step i);
• iii) removing the organic solvent from the resulting reaction product;
• and
• iv) adding water to said reaction product to form an aqueous solution or dispersion having a solids content of from about 15 to about 40% by weight;
• wherein the ratio of moles of the linking compound of formula (I) to the sum of the OH equivalents in the compound of formula (II) plus the compound of formula (III) is from 0.7:1 to 0.99:1.