A method for reducing the molecular weight of aminoplast compounds, the aminoplast compounds obtained thereby, and coating compositions containing said aminoplast compounds are provided. The reduced molecular weight aminoplasts are obtained by reacting (a) an aminoplast compound, having a total number (y) of reactive substituents on the amino nitrogens of the aminoplast, where y= (E x M) and E = equivalents per mole of aminoplast and M= total number of moles of aminoplast, wherein the reactive substituents are selected from the group consisting of -NH, alkylol, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, and mixtures thereof and (b) at least one carbamate compound selected from the group consisting of unsubstituted and substituted primary carbamate compounds, unsubstituted and substituted secondary carbamate compounds and mixtures thereof, in the presence of primary or secondary alcohols, at temperatures under 150 DEG C, and at pressures ranging between atmospheric pressure and 20 atm pressure, to form a functionalized aminoplast compound, wherein at least one and up to (y-1) of the amino substituents on the aminoplast are substituted with the carbamate functionality.