ANIONIC COPOLYMERIZATION OF CONJUGATED DIENE WITH VINYLARENE IN THE PRESENCE OF TETRAHYDROPYRANYLMETHANOL ALKYL ETHER

• Main Authors: MUSIANI LORENZO, VIOLA GIAN TOMMASO, TROMBINI CLAUDIO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 18.08.1998
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON; MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVINGCARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS; METALLURGY; ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a process which is effective for producing a conjugated diene homo- or co-polymer having a high 1,2-microstructure content at high temperature in high yields and comprises polymerizing a diene monomer with an ethylenically unsaturated monomer in a specified ratio in an inert solvent in the presence of catalyst comprising an anionic polymerization initiator and a modifier belonging to a group of ethers. SOLUTION: At least one diene monomer, desirably isoprene or 1,3-butadiene, more desirably 1,3-butadiene in an amount of 50-100wt.% is copolymerized with 0-50wt.% at least one ethylenically unsaturated monomer, desirably an aromatic vinyl monomer, more desirably styrene in the presence of a catalyst system comprising at least one anionic polymerization initiator (a) comprising a lithium derivative and at least one modifier (b) selected from the groups consisting of ethers of the formula [wherein one or two of the five R groups are -CH2 -O-R (wherein R is a 1-5C hydrocarbon group, methyl or ethyl), and the rest are H atoms].