Patent ID: 8741976

Claim:
A process for producing an aerogel or xerogel, the process comprising reacting components (a1) and (a2) in the presence of a solvent and of a catalyst, and in the absence of water, wherein component (a1) comprises a polyfunctional isocyanate, component (a2) comprises a polyfunctional substituted aromatic amine (a2-s) of formula I: R 1 and R 2 are each independently a hydrogen or linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, Q 1 to Q 5 and Q 1′ to Q 5′ are each independently hydrogen, a primary amino group, or a linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, optionally bearing a further functional group, at least one of Q 1 , Q 3 , and Q 5 is a primary amino group, at least one of Q 1′ , Q 3′ , and Q 5′ is a primary amino group, at least one of Q 2 , Q 4 , Q 2′ , and Q 4′ , is a linear or branched alkyl group having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms and optionally bearing a further functional group, in an α position relative to at least one primary amino group on an aromatic ring, and the component (a2) optionally further comprises a polyfunctional aromatic amine (a2-u) which differs from the amine (a2-s) of formula I.