Distilled epoxy novolac resins

A continuous process comprising:

• a) separating a starting epoxy novolac resin comprising oligomers having an average functionality of greater than 2.5 and a hydrolyzable chlorine content of less than 450 ppm with a first continuous evaporator apparatus under a vaporization temperature in the range of from 150° C. to 250° C. and an absolute pressure of from 0.05 to 1 mmHg absolute to form
• i) a first vapor fraction comprising epoxy novolac resin having more than 95 weight percent of 2-functional components and wherein the mass of the first vapor fraction is in the range of from 5 to 20 weight percent of the mass of the starting epoxy novolac resin;
• and
• ii) a first bottom fraction comprising epoxy novolac resin having a lower weight percent of 2-functional component contents in comparison with the starting epoxy novolac resin;
• b) recovering the first bottom fraction;
• c) condensing the first vapor fraction at a temperature in the range of from 0° C. to 150° C. to form a first condensed vapor fraction;
• and
• d) separating the first condensed vapor fraction with a second continuous evaporator apparatus under a vaporation temperature in the range of from 150° C. to 250° C. and an absolute pressure in the range of from 0.05 to 1 mmHg absolute conditions to form
• i) a second vapor fraction comprising halogenated impurities having a mass in the range of from 0.05 to 5 weight percent of the mass of the first condensed vapor fraction of step c);
• and
• ii) a second bottom fraction product having at least 95 weight percent of 2-functional components and having a total chlorine content of less than 900 ppm;
• and
• e) recovering the second bottom fraction.