| 主权项 |
1. A method for coupling polymers, said method comprising:
a) using a functional initiator to anionically initiate polymerization of a monomer system that comprises at least one type of polyene so as to provide a plurality of living polymer chains, b) reacting at least some of said living polymer chains with one or more cyclic polysiloxanes so as to provide terminally functionalized living polymer chains, and c) allowing a polyvalent compound to react with the termini of two or more of said terminally functionalized living polymer chains so as to provide coupled polymers, said method being characterized by one of the following:
(1) said polyvalent compound being free of halogen atoms and alkoxy groups and being selected from silanes and polyisocyanates, or(2) said functional initiator being defined by one of the general formulas (I) through (III): where
each R2 independently is H or a C1-C6 alkyl group;m is an integer of from 0 to 4 inclusive and n is an integer of from 1 to 4 inclusive, with the proviso that m+n≧2;Z is NR3, PR4, SiR4R5, SnR4R5, or CR4R6 whereinR3 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl or cycloalkyl group that is free of active hydrogen atoms but which optionally can include at least one N, P, O, S, Si or Sn atom,R4 is an R3 group which includes at least one N, P, O, S, Si or Sn atom,R5 is a C1-C6 alkyl group, andR6 is R2 or, together with R4 and the C atom to which it is bonded, forms a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group;M is an alkali metal atom;R7 is a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having at least one OR8 substituent group where each R8 is a hydrolyzable protecting group that also is nonreactive toward M;A is a single bond or a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene or arylene group;Q is a group bonded to M through a C, N or Sn atom;R9 is a hydrocarbyl group; andR10 is R7 or a phenyl group substituted at the para position with a linear or cyclic group that contains at least one O, S, N, P or Si atom. |
