Rubber composition comprising catechols and/or resorcinols and the use thereof in golf balls

1. A golf ball comprising at least one layer formed from a rubber composition comprising:

(a) a base rubber;

(b) a free radical initiator; and

(c) a catechol, wherein the catechol is present in an amount of from 0.1 parts to 1.5 parts by weight per 100 parts of the base rubber.

2. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the free radical initiator is present in the rubber composition in an amount of at least 0.05 parts by weight per 100 parts of the base rubber.

3. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein a ratio (P CATECHOL /P INITIATOR ) of the amount of the catechol present in the rubber composition (P CATECHOL ), measured in parts by weight per 100 parts of the base rubber, to the amount of free radical initiator present in the rubber composition (P INITIATOR ), measured in parts by weight per 100 parts of the base rubber, is from 0.05 to 2.

4. The golf ball of claim 3 , wherein P CATECHOL /P INITIATOR is from 0.25 to 2.

5. The golf ball of claim 3 , wherein P CATECHOL /P INITIATOR is at least 0.05 and less than 0.5.

6. The golf ball of claim 3 , wherein P CATECHOL /P INITIATOR is at least 0.25 and less than 0.5.

7. The golf ball of claim 3 , wherein P CATECHOL /P INITIATOR is from 0.25 to 0.45.

8. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the catechol is a selected from compounds represented by the following formula, and hydrates thereof:

wherein each R 1 , R 2 , R 3 , and R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a halogen group (F, Cl, Br, I), an alkyl group, a carboxyl group (—COOH) and metal salts thereof and esters thereof, an acetate group (—CH 2 COOH) and esters thereof, a formyl group (—CHO), an acyl group, an acetyl group (—COCH 3 ), a halogenated carbonyl group, a sulfo group (—SO 3 H) and esters thereof, a halogenated sulfonyl group, a sulfino group (—SO 2 H), an alkylsulfinyl group, a carbamoyl group (—CONH 2 ), a halogenated alkyl group, a cyano group (—CN), an alkoxy group, a hydroxy group (—OH) and metal salts thereof, an amino group (—NH 2 ), a nitro group (—NO 2 ), an aryl group, an aryloxy group, an arylalkyl group, a nitroso group (—NO), an acetamido group (—NHCOCH 3 ), and a vinyl group (—CH═CH 2 ).

9. The golf ball of claim 1 , wherein the rubber composition is substantially free of organosulfur compounds.

10. A golf ball comprising at least one layer formed from a rubber composition comprising:

(a) a base rubber;

(b) a free radical initiator; and

(c) a resorcinol, wherein the resorcinol is present in an amount of from 0.1 parts to 1.5 parts by weight per 100 parts of the base rubber.

11. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the free radical initiator is present in the rubber composition in an amount of at least 0.05 parts by weight per 100 parts of the base rubber.

12. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein a ratio (P RESORCINOL /P INITIATOR ) of the amount of the resorcinol present in the rubber composition (P RESORCINOL ), measured in parts by weight per 100 parts of the base rubber, to the amount of free radical initiator present in the rubber composition (P INITIATOR ), measured in parts by weight per 100 parts of the base rubber, is from 0.05 to 2.

13. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein P RESORCINOL /P INITIATOR is from 0.25 to 2.

14. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein P RESORCINOL /P INITIATOR is at least 0.05 and less than 0.5.

15. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein P RESORCINOL /P INITIATOR is at least 0.25 and less than 0.5.

16. The golf ball of claim 12 , wherein P RESORCINOL /P INITIATOR is from 0.25 to 0.45.

17. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the resorcinol is a selected from compounds represented by the following formula, and hydrates thereof:

wherein each R 1 , R 2 ,l R 3 , and R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a halogen group (F, Cl, Br, I), an alkyl group, a carboxyl group (—COOH) and metal salts thereof and esters thereof, an acetate group (—CH 2 COOH) and esters thereof, a formyl group (—CHO), an acyl group, an acetyl group (—COCH 3 ), a halogenated carbonyl group, a sulfo group (—SO 3 H) and esters thereof, a halogenated sulfonyl group, a sulfino group (—SO 2 H), an alkylsulfinyl group, a carbamoyl group (—CONH 2 ), a halogenated alkyl group, a cyano group (—CN), an alkoxy group, a hydroxy group (—OH) and metal salts thereof, an amino group (—NH 2 ), a nitro group (—NO 2 ), an aryl group, an aryloxy group, an arylalkyl group, a nitroso group (—NO), an acetamido group (—NHCOCH 3 ), and a vinyl group (—CH═CH 2 ).

18. The golf ball of claim 10 , wherein the rubber composition is substantially free of organosulfur compounds.