Patent ID: 7671237

Claim:
A tire tread rubber composition which is comprised of (a) at least one rubbery polymer which is synthesized using a functionalized lithium initiator, wherein the functionalized initiator is made by a process which comprises (i) reacting m-diisopropenylbenzene with a tertiary alkyl lithium compound in an aromatic solvent at a temperature which is within the range of about 0° C. to about 100° C. to produce a dilithium initiator and (ii) reacting the dilithium initiator with an alkylaminoaryl compound of the structural formula: wherein R, R′, and R″ can be the same or different, wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen atoms and alkyl groups, and wherein R′ and R″ represent alkyl groups, and (b) at least one member selected from the group consisting of carbon black and silica.