ENDCAPPING DIENE POLYMERS

摘要

Metals from Groups I and II of the periodic table are commonly used to initiate the polymerization of conjugated diolefin monomers into polymers. The polymers formed in such polymerizations are terminated with the metal used to initiate the polymerization and are sometimes referred to as living polymers. Reactive end groups can be affixed to the chain ends of such polymers by utilizing the process of this invention. Such reactive end groups can subsequently be reacted with the backbone of other polymer chains. This results in the formation of a polymer having a reduced number of dangling chain ends. The functionalizing agents which can be utilized in the preparation of such polymers include hexachlorocyclopentadiene, tetraalkylthiuram disulfides, and chlorinated phenyl fulvenes.