FUNCTIONALIZED HYDROGENATED POLYMERS

1 . A hydrogenated functionalized polymer comprising:

a functionalized polydiene being selectively hydrogenated to a predetermined level of saturation along at least a polydiene portion of the functionalized polydiene, wherein the functionalized polydiene produced from a living anionic elastomer initiated with a functionalized lithium initiator of the formula (I)

wherein n is an integer from 1 to 8, wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 can be the same or different and are selected from alkyl groups containing from 1 to 8 carbon atom;

wherein the polymer has chains of the structural formula (II)

wherein polydiene represents polymer chains comprising at least one partially or fully hydrogenated diene monomer and wherein R 1 and R 2 can be the same or different and represent alkyl groups containing from 1 to 8 carbon atoms.

2 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 represent alkyl groups containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

3 . The rubber polymer of claim 1 , wherein prior to hydrogenation the each polydiene is independently selected from a group consisting of: polybutadiene rubber; polyisoprene rubber;

styrene-butadiene rubber; styrene-isoprene rubber; and styrene-isoprene-butadiene rubber.

4 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the Polydiene portion is fully saturated by hydrogenation.

5 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the Polydiene portion is from about 10 percent to about 40 percent saturated by hydrogenation of the functionalized polymer.

6 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the Polydiene portion is from about 40 percent to about 80 percent saturated by hydrogenation of the functionalized polymer.

7 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the Polydiene portion is from about 80 percent to about 100 percent saturated by hydrogenation of the functionalized polymer.

8 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is incorporated in a rubber composition further comprising silica and/or carbon black.

9 . The polymer of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is incorporated in one of a rubber tire, hose, belt, and shoe.

10 . A hydrogenated functionalized polymer comprising:

a functionalized polydiene being selectively hydrogenated to a predetermined level of saturation along at least a polydiene portion of the functionalized polydiene, wherein the functionalized polydiene is a reaction product of a living anionic elastomeric polymer terminated with a polymerization terminator of formula III:

wherein X is selected from the group consisting of chlorine atoms, bromine atoms, and iodine atoms;

wherein m is an integer from 0 to 2, and n is an integer from 1 to 3, with the proviso that n+m=3;

wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently alkyl groups or aryl groups containing from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, or

wherein R 1 , R 2 are independently -SiR 4 groups, wherein R 4 is independently selected from alkyl groups, aryl groups, alkoxy groups, or disubstituted amino groups, or

wherein R 1 and R 2 taken together with a common nitrogen atom and optionally a sulfur or oxygen heteroatom form a five to eight membered ring; and

wherein R 3 is hydrogen, or C1 to C18 alkyl, aryl, or a combination thereof, or R 3 is selected from —R 5 and —R 6 , where R 5 is alkanediyl containing from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R 6 is selected from the following structures —S—Z, —N(R 7 )(R 8 ), —O(Y), and Si(OR 9 )3, wherein R 7 and R 8 are independently selected from alkyl groups and aryl groups containing from 1 to 18 carbon atoms, Y and Z are independently selected from the group consisting of methoxymethyl groups, tetrahydropyranyl groups, tetrahydrothiopyranyl groups, tetrahydrofuranyl groups, tert-butyl groups, allyl groups, 1-ethoxyethyl groups, benzyl groups, triphenylmethyl groups, triethylsilyl groups, triisopropylsilyl groups, trimethylsilyl groups, tert-butyl dimethyl silyl groups, tert-butyl diphenyl silyl groups, and isopropyldimethylsilyl groups, and wherein R 9 is represents an alkyl group containing from 1 to 4 carbon atoms.

11 . The polymer of claim 10 , wherein the polymerization terminator is selected from the group of the following structures:

and

wherein the living rubbery polymer is derived from at least one diene monomer selected from the group consisting of 1,3-butadiene and isoprene.

12 . The functionalized rubber of claim 10 wherein prior to hydrogenation the each polydiene is independently selected from a group consisting of: polybutadiene rubber; polyisoprene rubber;

styrene-butadiene rubber; styrene-isoprene rubber; and styrene-isoprene-butadiene rubber.

13 . A hydrogenated functionalized rubber polymer having chains of the structural formula I:

wherein each polydiene comprises at least one diene monomer at least partially saturated by hydrogenation, and wherein R 1 and R 2 independently represent alkyl groups containing from 1 to 8 carbon or moieties of the formula II:

wherein R 3 represents alkyl groups containing from 1 to 8 carbon atoms.

14 . The polymer of claim 10 , wherein the Polydiene portion is fully saturated by hydrogenation.

15 . The polymer of claim 10 , wherein the Polydiene portion is from about 10 percent to about 40 percent saturated by hydrogenation of the functionalized polymer.

16 . The polymer of claim 10 , wherein the Polydiene portion is from about 40 percent to about 80 percent saturated by hydrogenation of the functionalized polymer.

17 . The polymer of claim 10 , wherein the Polydiene portion is from about 80 percent to about 100 percent saturated by hydrogenation of the functionalized polymer.

18 . The polymer of claim 10 , wherein the polymer is incorporated in a rubber composition further comprising silica and/or carbon black.

19 . The polymer of claim 10 , wherein the polymer is incorporated in one of a rubber tire, hose, belt, and shoe.