Patent ID: 7825195

Claim:
A dendrimer of a rubbery polymer made by a process comprising: (a) reacting a lithium terminated rubbery polymer with a halogenated silicon containing compound to produce a polymer which is terminated with halogenated silicon moieties, wherein the halogenated silicon containing compound is of the structural formula: wherein X represents a halogen atom selected from the group consisting of chlorine and bromine, wherein Z 1 groups can be the same or different and are selected from alkyl groups that contain from 1 to 8 carbon atoms and wherein x represents an integer from 1 to 20, wherein the molar ratio of the lithium terminated rubbery polymer to halogen atoms in the halogenated silicon containing compound is within the range of 2:n to (n-1):n, wherein n represents the number of halogen atoms that are bonded directly to silicon atoms in the halogenated silicon containing compound; (b) reacting the polymer which is terminated with halogenated silicon moieties with a molar excess of a tertiary butyl alcohol to produce a polymer which is terminated with hydroxy silyl moieties; and (c) allowing the polymer which is terminated with the hydroxy silyl moieties to couple at a temperature which is within the range of 0° C. to 150° C. and under conditions sufficient to produce a dendrimer containing siloxane linkages.