TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Materials: The nitrogen source may be ammonia or ammonium carbonate.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Property: The liquid has a boiling range of 100 to above 320 degrees C. Preferred Method: The preparation is a continuous feed operation where the starting materials are replenished and recovery of the liquid product containing nitrile derivatives is performed by continuous separation of nitrile products from the reaction mixture. Between the steps (c) and (d), the mixture is cooled and/or the elevated pressure is relieved. Between steps (a) and (b), the mixture is heated at atmospheric pressure. In step (b), the mixture is heated to 150-450 degrees C in phases comprising a first phase where the mixture is heated and held at 100-200 degrees C and a second phase where the mixture is heated to 200-450 degrees C. During the first phase, the pressure in the sealable vessel is maintained at 20-40 psi. During the second phase, the pressure in the sealable vessel is maintained at 20-400 psi. Water is removed from the mixture by releasing vapor from the sealable vessel as the water is formed. Water is removed from the reaction by condensing the evolved water vapor with a cold trap. The pressure at steps (b) through (c) is maintained at 20-400 (preferably 20-100) psi. The recovery of a product containing nitriles at step (c) comprises distillation. Preferred Materials: The nitrogen source may be urea, biuret, or ammonium carbamate. The source of fatty acid side chains is a fatty acid, fatty ester, fatty amide, polyglyceride, phospholipid, glycolipid, animal-derived oil or fat, and/or plant-derived oil or fat. The fatty acid side chain may be derived from natural oils or fats, preferably palm oil, soybean oil, corn oil, rapeseed oil, and/or canola oil. EXAMPLE - A mixture of palm oil (100 g) and urea (10.9 g) in a pressure vessel was heated under stirring in a water bath to 270 degrees C. The internal pressure reached 180 psi and was released in a controlled way. The intermediate product had a melting point of 75 degrees C and heating proceeded with periodic depressurizations. At 360 degrees C and 100 psi, an aqueous condensate was obtained. The temperature was allowed to reach 380 degrees C and 100 psi while gradual depressurization continued until no significant pressure build up was observed. The yield was 85 g liquid product.