Patent ID: 6992147

Claim:
A method for preparing a functionalized polymer comprising the steps of: preparing a pseudo-living polymer by polymerizing conjugated diene monomer with a lanthanide-based catalyst; and reacting the pseudo-living polymer with at least one functionalizing agent defined by the formula (I) where A is a substituent that will undergo an addition reaction with a pseudoliving polymer, R 1 is a divalent organic group, R 2 is a monovalent organic group, and each R 4 , which may be the same or different, is a monovalent organic group or a substituent defined by —OR 5 where R 5 is a monovalent organic group, with the proviso that A, R 1 , R 2 , R 4 , and R 5 are substituents that will not protonate a pseudo-living polymer.