Patent ID: 7385010

Claim:
A process for the hydrogenation of carbon-carbon double bonds of a polymer latex comprised of a conjugated diene and, optionally additional co-polymerizable monomer(s), comprising, providing a polymer in latex form at a temperature of from about 35° C. to about 180° C., and a hydrogen pressure of from about 0.1 to about 20 MPa, and adding to the polymer in latex form a catalyst having the formula: RhQL x wherein: Q is hydrogen or an anion; L is a ligand compound of the formula R m B, wherein R is a C 1 -C 8 -alkyl group, a C 4 -C 8 -cycloalkyl group, a C 6 -C 15 -aryl group or a C 7 -C 15 -aralkyl group, B is phosphorus, arsenic, sulfur, or a sulphoxide group and m is 2 or 3, and x is 2, 3 or 4, and a co-catalyst of the formula: L wherein L is a ligand compound of the formula R m B, wherein R is a C 1 -C 8 -alkyl group, a C 4 -C 8 -cycloalkyl group, a C 6 -C 15 -aryl group or a C 7 -C 15 -aralkyl group, B is phosphorus, arsenic, sulfur, or a sulphoxide group and m is 2 or 3; and wherein the process is carried out in the absence of an organic solvent.