DISULFUR DICHLORIDE AND ALKENYL ETHERS ADDITIVES FOR MOONEY JUMP

1 . A method for the synthesis of an elastomer comprising the steps of:

polymerizing conjugated diene monomer to generate a polydiene cement;

terminating the polydiene cement with a protic organic compound;

separately reacting (1) a compound containing sulfur and a halogen with (2) an alkenyl ether; and

adding a product of the reaction to the cement to generate a polydiene rubber.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the alkenyl ether comprises at least one unsaturated carbon-carbon bond.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the compound containing sulfur and a halogen is disulfur dichloride (S 2 Cl 2 ), sulfur dichloride, disulfur dibromide, sulfur dibromide, thionyl chloride, thionyl bromide or a combination thereof.

4 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the reaction between the S 2 Cl 2 and alkenyl ether is performed at −15° C. to 100° C.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the reaction between the S 2 Cl 2 and alkenyl ether uses a solvent.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the reaction between the S 2 Cl 2 and alkenyl ether excludes a solvent.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the adding of (1) and (2) is performed with agitation or stirring.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the adding of (1) and (2) is performed without agitation or stirring.

9 . The method of claim 2 and 3 , wherein a mole ratio between (1) the compound containing sulfur and a halogen and (2) the alkenyl ether bearing one unsaturated carbon-carbon bond is between 4 to 1.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the total amount of the alkenyl ether is from 0.5 mmol to 7.5 mmol per 100 grams of the polydiene cement.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer is one of 1,4-cis polybutadiene and styrene butadiene.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer is characterized by an increase of at least 35% in Mooney viscosity (ML 1+4 at 100° C.) compared to the Mooney of elastomer without the addition of the (1) the compound containing sulfur and a halogen and (2) the alkenyl ether.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the elastomer is functionalized.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is prepared by:

polymerizing conjugated diene monomer at temperatures of 25° C. to 125° C. in presence of at least one rare earth transition metal catalyst system based on neodymium carboxylate or neodymium phosphate, a saturated aliphatic or alicyclic organic hydrocarbon solvent, an alkylating agent based on aluminum, and organometallic halogen source to generate the polydiene cement.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein polymerizing the conjugated diene monomer comprises:

polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer compound in the presence of alkyl lithium and a modifier to generate the polydiene cement.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the alkyl lithium is butyl lithium.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein polymerizing the conjugated diene monomer comprises:

polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer compound and styrene in the presence of alkyl lithium and a modifier to generate the polydiene cement.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polydiene cement is characterized by a first Mooney and polydiene cement is characterized by a second Mooney being higher than the first Mooney.

19 . A method for the synthesis of an elastomer comprising the steps of:

polymerizing conjugated diene monomer to generate a polydiene cement;

terminating the polydiene cement with a protic organic compound, the polydiene cement being characterized by a first Mooney;

separately reacting (1) a compound containing sulfur and a halogen with (2) an alkenyl ether; and

adding a product of the reaction to the cement to generate a polydiene rubber, the polydiene being characterized by a second Mooney higher than the first Mooney.

20 . A tire having a tread or carcass compound comprising at least the 1,4-cis polydiene of claim 1 .