Patent ID: 8114921

Claim:
A process for forming a macromolecule that comprises a polymer bonded at a terminus through at least one —Si—O-M- moiety to a polyatomic functionality that comprising multiple M atoms where M represents Si, Ti, Zr, Sn, Al, or Fe, said process comprising: a) in an organic solvent medium, reacting a carbanionic polymer with one or more functional silanes having any of the general formulas R f Si(OR 4 ) 4-f , (OR 4 ) 2 SiZ′, and R f (R 4 O) 3-f Si—[(CH 2 ) m -Q′-(CH 2 ) n ]—Si(OR 4 ) 3-g R g , where Q′ is a divalent heteroatom or a heteroatom-containing divalent linking group that is free of active hydrogen atoms, f and g independently are integers of from 0 to 2 inclusive, m and n independently are integers of from 0 to about 200 inclusive, each R 4 independently is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, allyl, aralkyl, alkaryl, or alkynyl group, each R independently is a hydrogen atom or C 1 -C 20 alkyl group; and Z′ and the Si atom to which is bonded constitute a cyclic group that comprises a divalent heteroaton or a heteroatom-containing divalent group in its ring structure, thereby providing a polymer that comprises a functionality in which at least one alkoxy group is bonded to a silicon atom, said polymer having the general formula { p} 4-c -J-SiR a (OR 1 ) b where each J independently is a moiety defined by one of the following general structures [SiR 2 O] d or {[SiR e (OR 1 ) 2-e ]—[(CH 2 ) m Q′(CH 2 ) n ]}, {p} represents a polymer chain, each R 1 independently is a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, allyl, aralkyl, alkaryl, or alkynyl group, a is an integer of from 0 to 2 inclusive, b is an integer of from 1 to 3 inclusive, and c=a+b with the proviso that c≦3, d is an integer of from 0 to about 42 inclusive, e is an integer of from 0 to 2 inclusive, and m and n independently are integers of from 0 to about 200 inclusive; b) adding to said organic solvent medium one or more hydrolyzable compounds that comprises a M atom; and c) hydrolyzing and condensing said polymer which comprises at least one alkoxy group bonded to a silicon atom and said one or more hydrolyzable compounds that comprises a M atom to afford said macromolecule that comprises a polymer bonded at a terminus through said at least one —Si—O-M- moiety to said polyatomic functionality.