Silane-mediated enhancement of rubber storage stability

1. A process for preparing a branched elastomeric polymer, said process comprising:

(a) polymerizing at least one conjugated diene and a compound of Formula 1 as defined below, and optionally one or more aromatic vinyl monomers, in the presence of an initiator compound,

(a′) polymerizing at least one conjugated diene and optionally one or more aromatic vinyl monomers in the presence of an initiator compound obtained by reacting a compound of Formula 1 as defined below with an organo-alkali metal compound, or

(a″) reacting a living polymer, obtained by anionically polymerizing at least one conjugated diene and optionally one or more aromatic vinyl monomers, with a compound of Formula 1 as defined below,

(A)−B n   (Formula 1)

wherein

A is an organic group having at least two amino groups;

each B is independently selected from a group —Si(R 1 )(R 2 )(R 3 ), wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are each independently selected from vinyl, butadienyl, methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl, octyl, phenyl and benzyl, with the proviso that only one of R 1 , R 2 and R 3 is vinyl or butadienyl, wherein each group B is a substituent of an amino group of group A;

at least two of the amino groups of group A are each substituted with at least one group B;

n is an integer of at least 2; and

all amino groups in group A are tertiary amino groups;

wherein (a), (a′) and (a″) is carried out in the presence of a stabilizer compound of Formula 2 as defined below:

wherein

R′ is independently selected from C 1 -C 12 alkyl, C 2 -C 12 alkenyl, C 6 -C 18 aryl and C 7 -C 18 alkylaryl, wherein the two R′ groups may be connected to form a ring and the ring may contain, further to the Si-bonded nitrogen atom, one or more of an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, an >N(C 1 -C 6 alkyl, C 6 -C 18 aryl, C 7 -C 18 alkylaryl) group and a sulfur atom;

R″ is selected from C 1 -C 6 hydrocarbyl;

R′″ is independently selected from C 1 -C 18 hydrocarbyl;

R a , R b and R c are independently selected from hydrogen, methyl, ethyl and vinyl, with the proviso that at most one of R a , R b , and R c is vinyl;

x is an integer selected from 1 and 2; y is an integer selected from 0, 1 and 2; z is an integer selected from 0, 1 and 2; and x+y+z=3;

m is selected from 0 and 1; with the proviso that, when none of R a , R b and R c is vinyl, then m=0.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the compound of Formula 1 is a compound selected from the following Formulas 1-1 to 1-5:

wherein

each of R 11 , R 12 , R 13 , R 14 and R 15 is independently selected from group B, C 1 -C 18 alkyl, C 6 -C 18 aryl, optionally C 1 -C 4 alkyl-substituted C 3 -C 12 heteroaryl, C 7 -C 18 aralkyl, (R 4 ) a —O—(R 5 ) b , wherein each of R 4 and R 5 is independently selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl and C 6 -C 18 aryl and a and b are each integers independently selected from 0 to 4, and —Si(R 6 )(R 7 )(R 8 ), wherein each of R 6 , R 7 and R 8 is independently selected from methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl, octyl, phenyl and benzyl;

each of R 9 and R 10 is independently selected from divalent ethyl, propyl, butyl, phenyl and —(CH 2 ) a′ —C 6 H 5 —(CH 2 ) b′ —, wherein each of a′ and b′ is an integer independently selected from 0 and 1; and

c is an integer selected from 0, 1, 2 and 3;

wherein the group —N< >N— is a 5- to 18-membered heterocyclic group which may be saturated or unsaturated and which may be substituted on any carbon atom of the ring with a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, wherein heteroatomic groups other than the two N atoms expressly shown in Formula 1-2 are selected from —N═, >NR 16 , wherein R 16 is selected from group B, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, phenyl and benzyl, —O—, —S— and >SiR 17 R 18 , wherein each of R 17 and R 18 is independently selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl, phenyl and benzyl;

wherein each of R 20 , R 21 and R 22 is independently selected from a single bond and a divalent C 1 -C 10 alkyl group, d is an integer selected from 0, 1 and 2, d′ is an integer selected from 0 and 1, wherein d is 0 when d′ is 0, each group —N< >X— is independently selected from a 5- to 10-membered heterocyclic group which may be saturated or unsaturated and which may be substituted on any carbon atom of the ring with a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, wherein each X is independently selected from —N—, —C═ and —CH—, and heteroatomic groups other than the two groups N and X expressly shown in Formula 1-3 are selected from —N═, >NR 16 , wherein R 16 is selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl, group B, phenyl and benzyl, —O—, —S— and >SiR 17 R 18 , wherein each of R 17 and R 18 is independently selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl, phenyl and benzyl;

wherein D is a 5- to 10-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic group which may be saturated or unsaturated and which may be substituted on any carbon atom of the ring with a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, wherein heteroatomic groups are selected from —N═, >NR 16 , wherein R 16 is selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl, group B, phenyl and benzyl, —O—, —S— and >SiR 17 R 18 , wherein each of R 17 and R 18 is independently selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl and phenyl, each group —N< >X— is independently selected from a 5- to 10-membered heterocyclic group which may be saturated or unsaturated and which may be substituted on any carbon atom of the ring with a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, wherein each X is independently selected from —N—, —C═ and —CH—, R 23 is selected from a single bond and a divalent C 1 -C 10 alkyl group, and e is an integer selected from 2, 3 and 4;

wherein E is a 6- to 10-membered cycloaliphatic or aromatic group, each R 24 is independently selected from a single bond and C 1 -C 2 alkyl, each R is independently selected from B, C 1 -C 6 alkyl and benzyl, and f is an integer selected from 2 and 3.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the compound of Formula 1 is selected from

wherein each R is independently selected from B, C 1 -C 6 alkyl and benzyl;

wherein R is a C 1 -C 6 alkyl group; and

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein R′″ in Formula 2 is independently selected from C 1 -C 18 alkyl, C 2 -C 18 alkenyl, C 6 -C 18 aryl and C 7 -C 18 alkylaryl.

5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein R′ in Formula 2 is independently selected from methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, isobutyl, pentyl, hexyl, octyl and benzyl, or the two R′ groups are connected to form, together with the Si-bonded nitrogen atom, a 5- to 12-membered ring.

6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein R″ in Formula 2 is selected from C 1 -C 6 alkyl and phenyl.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein R a , R b and R c in Formula 2 are identical.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein in Formula 2

(i) x, y and z are each 1 and m=0,

(ii) x=2, y=0, z=1 and m=0, or

(iii) x=1, y=0, z=2 and m=1 and

at most one of R a , R b and R c is vinyl.

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the initiator compound in step (a) or the organo-alkali metal compound in step (a′) is selected from methyllithium, ethyllithium, n-butyllithium, s-butyllithium, tert-butyllithium, tert-octyllithium, isopropyllithium, phenyllithium, cyclohexyllithium, 2-butyllithium, 4-phenylbutyllithium, t-butyldimethylsilyloxypropyllithium, dialkylaminopropyllithium, N-morpholinopropyllithium, sodium biphenylide, sodium naphthalenide, potassium naphthalenide, 1,3-bis(1-(phenyl)1-lithiohexyl)benzene, 1,3-bis(1-(4-ethylphenyl)1 dithiohexyl)benzene, 1,3-bis(1-(4-methyl-phenyl)1 dithiohexyl)benzene, 1,3-bis(1-(4-propylphenyl)1-lithiohexyl)benzene, 1,3-bis(1-(4-(tert-butyl)phenyl)1 dithiohexyl)-benzene, 1,3-bis(1-(4-(diethylamino)phenyl)1 dithiohexyl)-benzene, 1,3-bis(1-(4-(dimethylamino)phenyl)1-lithiohexyl)benzene, 1,3-bis(1-(4-ethoxy-phenyl)1-lithiohexyl)benzene, 1,3-bis(1-(4-(dimethoxy)phenyl)1 dithiohexyl)benzene, (((dimethylamino)dimethylsilyl)methyl)lithium, (((diethylamino)dimethylsilyl)methyl)lithium, (((dibutylamino)dimethylsilyl)methyl)lithium, (((dihexylamino)dimethylsilyl)methyl)lithium, (((dioctylamino)dimethylsilyl)methyl)lithium, (((dibenzylamino)dimethylsilyl)methyl)lithium, ((dimethyl(piperidin-1-yl)silyl)methyl)lithium, ((dimethyl(morpholino)silyl)methyl)lithium, ((dimethyl(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)silyl)methyl)lithium, ((dimethyl(4-ethylpiperazin-1-yl)silyl)methyl)lithium, and ((dimethyl(4-benzylpiperazin-1-yl)silyl)methyl)lithium.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer of Formula 2 is used in an amount of 0.01 to 100 equivalent per equivalent of initiator or living polymer chain end.

11. A branched elastomeric polymer obtained by a process as defined in claim 1 .

12. A non-vulcanized polymer composition comprising the branched elastomeric polymer as defined in claim 11 and one or more further components selected from (i) components which are added to or formed as a result of the polymerization process used for making said polymer, (ii) components which remain after solvent removal from the polymerization process, and (iii) components which are added to the polymer after completion of the polymer manufacturing process, wherein said composition optionally comprises one or more fillers.

13. The non-vulcanized polymer composition according to claim 12 , which further comprises one or more extender oils.

14. The non-vulcanized polymer composition according to claim 12 , which further comprises one or more vulcanizing agents.

15. A vulcanized polymer composition which is obtained by vulcanizing the non-vulcanized polymer composition as defined in claim 14 .

16. A process for preparing a vulcanized polymer composition, said process comprising vulcanizing the non-vulcanized polymer composition as defined in claim 14 .

17. An article comprising at least one component formed from the vulcanized polymer composition as defined in claim 15 , which article is selected from a tire, a tire tread, a tire side wall, a tire carcass, a belt, a gasket, a seal, a hose, a vibration damper, a footwear component, a golf ball and a hose.

18. The process according to claim 5 wherein the 5- to 12-membered ring is a morpholine group, an oxazolidine group, a thiazolidine group, a thiamorpholine group, a 4-methylpiperazine group, a 4-ethylpiperazine group, a 4-propylpiperazine group, a 4-butylpiperazine group or a 4-benzylpiperazine group.