Production of meta-block copolymers by polymer segment interchange

1. A process for preparing a product mixture comprising meta-block copolymers by contacting a metathesis catalyst under metathesis conditions with a composition comprising two or more ethylenically unsaturated polymers, each polymer having a molecular weight of at least 1000 g/mole, said unsaturation defining one or more polymer blocks in each ethylenically unsaturated polymer, at least one polymer block in the ethylenically unsaturated polymers comprising internal unsaturation and being chemically distinguishable from at least one polymer block in at least one other ethylenically unsaturated polymer, wherein the ethylenic content of each of the two or more ethylenically unsaturated polymers is from 0.1 to 3 mole percent and distribution of the ethylenic content in the ethylenically unsaturated polymers is substantially random such that at least 99 percent of multiple unsaturations in the ethylenically unsaturated polymers are separated by at least 6 methylene or substituted methylene units, characterized in that each meta-block copolymer in the product mixture comprises a random distribution of said chemically distinguishable polymer blocks; wherein at least two of the chemically distinguishable blocks possess a difference in expected Tg of at least 40° C.; wherein at least two of the chemically distinguishable blocks have an expected solubility parameter difference of at least 1.0; and wherein the combination of the chemically distinguishable polymer blocks is a one of the following combinations (a) to (i):

(a) a partially hydrogenated polybutadiene and a partially hydrogenated butadiene nitrile rubber;

(b) an unsaturated polyurethane and a polyethylene-co-butadiene);

c) an unsaturated polycarbonate and one of polyethylene-co-butadiene) and poly(ethylene-co-octene-co-butadiene);

d) an unsaturated polycarbonate and a block selected from the group consisting of an unsaturated polysiloxane, a fluoropolymer, a chlorinated polyolefin, a polytetrahydrofuran and EPDM;

(e) a poly(ethylene oxide) and a polyethylene-co-butadiene);

(f) a poly(ethylene-co-butadiene) and a poly(ethylene-co-octene-co-butadiene);

(g) an unsaturated polyester and a poly(ethylene-co-butadiene);

(h) a poly(styrene-co-butadiene-styrene) and poly(ethylene-co-butadiene); and

(i) an unsaturated polycarbonate, a poly(styrene-co-butadiene-co-styrene), and a third polymer block comprising poly(ethylene-co-butadiene); and wherein

the catalyst is of the formula:

wherein:

M A is ruthenium or osmium;

X A and X B are the same or different anionic ligand;

L A is a neutral electron donor ligand;

L B is a neutral electron donor ligand or a nitrogen containing heterocyclic carbene; and

R A and R B are independently each occurrence hydrogen, or an alkyl, alkenyl, alkenyl, aryl, carboxylate, alkoxy, alkenyloxy, alkynyloxy, aryloxy, alkoxycarbonyl, alkylthio, alkylsulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, or silyl group of up to 20 atoms not counting hydrogen, an alkyl, alkoxy, aryl, aralkyl, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, haloaryl or haloalkaryl substituted derivative thereof; or a functionalized derivative of any of the foregoing wherein the functional group is hydroxyl, thiol, alcohol, sulfonic acid, phosphine, thioether, ketone, aldehyde, ester, ether, amine, imine, amide, imide, imido, nitro, carboxylic acid, disulfide, carbonate, isocyanate. carbodiimide, carboalkoxy, carbamate, acetal, ketal, boronate, cyano, cyanohydrin, hydrazine, oxime, hydrazide, enamine, sulfone, sulfide, sulfenyl, or halogen.

2. The product mixture of meta-block copolymers made according to the process of claim 1 .

3. The product mixture of meta-block copolymers according to claim 2 wherein the blocks are separated by ethylenic unsaturated groups corresponding to the formula, —CH═CH—.

4. The partially hydrogenated derivative of the product mixture of meta-block copolymers according to claim 2 .

5. The product mixture of meta-block copolymers according to claim 2 wherein the chemically distinguishable blocks possess a difference in Tm of at least 40° C.

6. The product mixture of meta-block copolymers according to claim 2 wherein at least one of the chemically distinguishable polymer blocks is amorphous and one other polymer block is crystallizable.

7. The product mixture of meta-block copolymers according to claim 6 wherein at least one of the chemically distinguishable amorphous polymer blocks has an expected Tg=T LOW and one of the crystallizable polymer blocks has Tm=T HIGH , and the difference T HIGH −T LOW is at least 40° C.

8. The product mixture of meta-block copolymers according to claim 2 wherein at least one of the chemically distinguishable polymer blocks has either a Tm or expected Tg value of at least 80° C.

9. The product mixture of meta-block copolymers according to claim 2 wherein the chemically distinguishable blocks phase separate in the absence of a compatibilizing additive when cooled from the melt to the solid phase.

10. The product mixture of meta-block copolymers produced according to the process of claim 1 , further comprising

a microphase separation of said chemically distinguishable polymer blocks as indicated by a small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) peak that persists at temperatures above the glass transition temperature (Tg) of said meta-block copolymer, wherein if said meta-block copolymer contains a crystalline domain, the SAXS peak also persists at temperatures above the melt temperature (Tm) of said crystalline-domained meta-block copolymer.

11. The product mixture of meta-block copolymers according to claim 10 , wherein the SAXS peak persists at temperatures at least 30° C. above the glass transition temperature (Tg) of said meta-block copolymer, wherein if said meta-block copolymer contains a crystalline domain, the SAXS peak also persists at temperature at least 30° C. above the melt temperature (Tm) of said crystalline-domained meta-block copolymer.

12. The product mixture of meta-block copolymers according to claim 10 , wherein the chemically distinguishable blocks possess a difference in the expected solubility parameter (δ 2 ) of at least 1.5.