Patent ID: 6858690

Claim:
A polymerization method for use in a continuous slurry polymerization reactor in preparing random copolymers of one or more isoolefin monomers and one or more conjugated diene monomers, the reacted monomers forming the slurry within the reactor, the method comprising reacting in a polar diluent the isoolefin and diene monomers, a Lewis acid, and an initiator, wherein the initiator has the formula: wherein X is a halogen; R 1 is selected from the group consisting of C 1 to C 8 alkyl, and C 2 to C 8 alkenyl; R 3 is selected from the group consisting of, C 1 to C 8 alkyl, C 2 to C 8 alkenyl and phenylalkyl; and R 2 is selected from the group consisting of C 4 to C 200 alkyl, C 2 to C 8 alkenyl, phenyl phenylalkyl, alkylphenyl, C 3 to C 10 cycloalkyl, and wherein X is a halogen; R 5 is selected from the group consisting of, C 1 to C 8 alkyl, and C 2 to C 8 alkenyl; R 6 is selected from the group consisting of, C 1 to C 8 alkyl, C 2 to C 8 alkenyl and phenylalkyl; and R 4 is selected from the group consisting of phenylene, biphenyl, α,ω-diphenylalkane and —(CH 2 ) n —, wherein n is an integer from 1 to 10; and wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 can also form adamantyl or bornyl ring systems, the X group being in a tertiary carbon position; and wherein the Lewis acid and the initiator are contacted with a contact time of from less than 60 s prior to contacting with the isoolefin and the diene monomers.