Patent ID: 8318858

Claim:
A method for producing a conjugated diene polymer, comprising steps A and B: step A: polymerizing monomers comprising a conjugated diene and a vinyl compound of formula (III) below in a hydrocarbon solvent in the presence of an alkali metal catalyst to produce a polymer having an alkali metal originating from the catalyst at least one terminus of a polymer chain comprising a conjugated diene-based monomer unit and a monomer unit based on the vinyl compound of formula (III): wherein X 4 , X 5 , and X 6 independently denote a group of formula (IIIa) below, a hydrocarbyl group, or a substituted hydrocarbyl group, and at least one of X 4 , X 5 , and X 6 is a group of formula (IIIa) below, wherein R 8 and R 9 independently denote a hydrocarbyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a substituted hydrocarbyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a silyl group, or a substituted silyl group, and R 8 and R 9 may be bonded so as to form, together with the nitrogen atom, a ring structure; and step B: reacting the resulting polymer in step A with a compound of formula (II): wherein n denotes an integer of 1 to 10, R 3 , R 4 , and R 5 independently denote a hydrocarbyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms or a hydrocarbyloxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, at least one of R 3 , R 4 , and R 5 is a hydrocarbyloxy group, and A denotes a group of formula (11a) below, wherein R 6 and R 7 independently denote a hydrocarbyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms.