Functionalized hydrogenated polymers
A hydrogenated functionalized polymer comprises a functionalized polydiene that is selectively hydrogenated to achieve a predetermined level of saturation along at least the polydiene portion of the functionalized polydiene. The functionalized polydiene is a reaction product of 1) a living anionic elastomeric polymer initiated with a functional or nonfunctional initiator and 2) a functional polymerization terminator. In one embodiment, the living anionic elastomeric polymer is initiated with a functional initiator of formula AYLi in which Y is a divalent polymer radical; Li is a lithium atom bonded to a carbon atom of Y; and A is an amine-containing radical having the formula (X) The functionalized polydiene is also a reaction product of a diene monomer and a polymerization terminator of formula (I):
1 . A hydrogenated functionalized polymer comprising:
a functionalized polydiene being selectively hydrogenated to a predetermined level of saturation along a polydiene portion of the functionalized polydiene, wherein the functionalized polydiene is a reaction product of a living anionic elastomeric polymer terminated with a silatrane and optionally initiated with an amine or a nonfunctional initiator; and the predetermined level is from about 40 percent to about 80 percent saturated by hydrogenation.
2 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the amine is a functional initiator of formula AYLi, wherein Y is a divalent polymer radical; Li is a lithium atom bonded to a carbon atom of Y; and A is an amine-containing radical having the formula (X)
wherein R 15 and R 16 independently have from 1 to 20 carbon atoms and each are independently an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aromatic group, a substituted alkyl group, a substituted cycloalkyl group or a substituted aromatic group, or R 15 and R 16 taken together with the nitrogen to which both R 15 and R 16 are attached comprise a heterocyclic amine group wherein R 15 and R 16 taken together form an alkanediyl group of from 4 to 20 carbon atoms or a substituted alkanediyl group of from 4 to 20 carbon atoms, and R 17 is a covalent bond, an alkanediyl group of from 1 to 20 carbon atoms or a substituted alkanediyl group of from 1 to 20 carbon atoms.
3 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the silatrane is a polymerization terminator of formula (I):
wherein R 1 is C1 to C4 linear alkyl, or C1 to C4 branched alkanediyl; X 1 , X 2 , X 3 are independently O, S, or a group of formula (II) or (III)
where R 2 is C1 to C18 linear or branched alkyl; Z is R 3 , —OR 4 , or —R 5 —X 4 ; R 3 , R 4 are independently C1 to C18 linear or branched alkyl; R 5 is C1 to C18 alkanediyl or dialkyl ether diyl;
X 4 is halogen or a group of structure IV, V, VI, VII or VIII
wherein R 6 , R 7 , R 8 , R 9 , and R 10 are independently H or C1 to C8 alkyl; R 11 is C2 to C8 alkanediyl;
R 12 and R 13 are independently H, aryl or C1 to C8 alkyl;
Q is N or a group of structure IX
wherein R 14 is C1 to C8 alkyl.
4 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the polymerization terminator of formula I is selected from the group consisting of the following structures
5 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the living anionic elastomer is derived from at least one diene monomer and optionally at least one vinyl aromatic monomer.
6 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the living anionic elastomer is derived from at least one of isoprene and butadiene, and optionally from styrene.
7 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the living anionic elastomer is derived from butadiene and styrene.
8 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein R 1 is a C1 to C4 branched alkanediyl; and Q is N; and Z is R 3 .
9 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is incorporated in a rubber composition further comprising silica and/or carbon black.
10 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is incorporated in one of a rubber tire, hose, belt, and shoe.