Patent ID: 9644052
Date: 2017-05-09
CPC Classifications: C08C,C08F,C08K,C08L

Claim:
1. A method for preparing a functionalized polymer the method comprising the steps of: preparing a pseudo-living polymer by polymerizing conjugated monomer with a lanthanide-based catalyst, wherein the lanthanide-based catalyst comprises (a) a lanthanide compound, (b) an alkylating agent, and (c) a source of halogen; and reacting the pseudo-living polymer with a functionalizing agent defined by the formula (I) where R 1 is a divalent bond or divalent organic group comprising from 0 to about 20 carbon atoms, A is a substituent that will undergo an addition reaction with a pseudo-living polymer, and Z is a silane group, with the proviso that A, R 1 , and Z are substituents that will not protonate a pseudo-living polymer, wherein the pseudo-living polymer is prepared in the absence of phosphorus-containing compounds, and where the functionalized polymer can be represented by the formula (XV) where R wherein the functionalized polymers represented by the formula (XV) condense to form a coupled polymer that is represented by the following formula (XVI) where R