Diene polymers and copolymers terminated with compounds having multiple-bonded nitrogen atoms and partially crosslinked with polyfunctional reagents

摘要

Diene polymers or copolymers having improved raw polymer viscosity and reduced hysteresis in the cured and carbon black reinforced state are provided. These diene polymers or copolymers are prepared by a method which involves first terminating substantially all of the living diene polymer or copolymer chains obtained by anionic polymerization with a compound having multiple-bonded nitrogen atoms selected from the group consisting of aromatic nitriles and substituted imines having the formula <IMAGE> and then coupling a portion of the resultant terminated polymer chains with a polyfunctional reagent selected from the groups consisting of silicon polyhalides, polyisocyanates, phosphoryl halides and polycarboxylic acid halides.