Patent ID: 6939933

Claim:
A polymerization method for preparing random copolymers of one or more isoolefin monomers and one or more conjugated diene monomers selected from isoprene, butadiene, 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, myrcene, 6,6-dimethyl-fulvene, hexadiene and piperylene, the method comprising providing a reactor, charging feed-streams into the reactor of 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 allowing the feed-streams of the polar diluent, the isoolefin and diene monomers, the Lewis acid, and the initiator, to contact one another within the reactor to form polymers in a slurry, and allowing the polymers to exit the reactor while simultaneously allowing the feed-streams charging to continue.