Claims
- 1. A functionalized polymer comprising:
- a polymer chain having at least one monomer unit selected from the group consisting of conjugated dienes having from about 4 to about 12 carbon atoms and monovinyl aromatic monomers having 8 to 18 carbon atoms and trienes and carrying at least one functional group selected from the group consisting of cyclic amine radicals having the formula ##STR24## where R.sub.2 is selected from the group consisting of an alkylene, substituted alkylene, oxy- or N-alkylamino-alkylene group having from about 3 to about 16 methylene groups, and the functional group is tethered to the polymer chain via the nitrogen atom;
- wherein said functional group is derived from a polymerization initiator that is soluble in an acyclic alkane solvent.
- 2. A functionalized polymer as in claim 1, wherein said functional group is selected from the group consisting of radicals of pyrrolidine; piperidine; monoalkyl-piperazine; perhydroazepine, 1-azacyclooctane; azacyclotridecane; azacycloheptadecane; 1-azacycloheptadec-9-ene; and, 1-azacycloheptadec-8-ene.
- 3. A functionalized polymer as in claim 2, wherein said perhydroazepine is selected from the group consisting of 3,3,5-trimethylhexahydroazepine and hexamethyleneimine.
- 4. A functionalized polymer as in claim 1, wherein said functional group is bicyclic.
- 5. A functionalized polymer as in claim 4, wherein said bicyclic functional group is selected from the group consisting of perhydroisoquinoline, perhydroindole and 1,3,3-trimethyl-6-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane.
- 6. A functionalized polymer as in claim 1, wherein said substituted alkylene is a mono- to octa-substituted alkylene.
- 7. A functionalized polymer as in claim 6, wherein the substituent of said substituted alkylene is linear or branched and has from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms.
- 8. A functionalized polymer as in claim 7, wherein said substituent is selected from the group consisting of alkyls, cycloalkyls, bicycloalkyls, aryls, and aralkyls.
- 9. A functionalized polymer, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said alkylene, substituted alkylene, oxy- and N-alkylamino-alkylene groups have from about 6 to about 16 methylene groups.
- 10. A functionalized polymer, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said polymerization initiator is the reaction product of an amine, an organolithium compound, and a solubilizing component.
- 11. A functionalized polymer, as set forth in claim 10, wherein said reaction product is defined by the formula
- (A)Li(SOL).sub.y
- where y is from about 1 to about 3, Li is a lithium atom, and SOL is a solubilizing component, and A is a cyclic amine radical having the formula ##STR25## where N is a nitrogen atom, and R.sub.2 is selected from the group including alkylene, substituted alkylene, oxy- or N-alkylamino-alkylene groups, each having from about 3 to about 16 methylene groups.
- 12. A functionalized polymer, as set forth in claim 11, where SOL is a divalent hydrocarbon, ether, or amine or polar ligand.
- 13. A functionalized polymer, as set forth in claim 12, where said divalent hydrocarbon is selected from the group including dienyl polymers, vinyl aromatic polymers, dienyl copolymers, vinyl aromatic copolymers, and dienyl and vinyl aromatic copolymers, each having from about 3 to about 300 polymerization units.
- 14. A vulcanizable composition of matter comprising:
- a rubber component including at least one functionalized polymer having at least one monomer unit selected from the group consisting of conjugated dienes having from about 4 to about 12 carbon atoms and monovinyl aromatic monomers having 8 to 18 carbon atoms and trienes, and
- from about 5 to about 100 parts by weight, per 100 parts by weight of said rubber, component of a reinforcing filler;
- where said at least one functionalized polymer carries at least one functional group that derives from a polymerization initiator having the formula
- (A)Li(SOL).sub.y
- where Li is a lithium atom, SOL is a solubilizing component, and y is from about 1 to about 3, and A is a cyclic amine radical having the formula ##STR26## where N is a nitrogen atom, R.sub.2 is selected from the group including alkylene, substituted alkylene, oxy- or N-alkylamino-alkylene groups, each having from about 3 to about 16 methylene groups.
- 15. A vulcanizable composition of matter, as set forth in claim 14, where at least one of said functionalized polymers also carry a second functional group that includes a tin-carbon bond derived from a terminating, coupling or linking agent (R.sub.3).sub.a ZX.sub.b, where Z is tin; R.sub.3 is selected from the group consisting of alkyls having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, cycloalkyls having from about 3 to about 20 carbon atoms, aryls having from 6 to about 20 carbon atoms and aralkyls having from about 7 to about 20 carbon atoms; X is chlorine or bromine; and, a is from 0 to 3 and b is from 1 to 4 where a+b=4.
- 16. A vulcanizate prepared by vulcanizing the vulcanizable composition of matter set forth in claim 14.
- 17. A vulcanizable composition of matter, as set forth in claim 14, where SOL is selected from the group consisting of a divalent hydrocarbon, ether, amine, or polar ligand.
- 18. A vulcanizable composition of matter, as set forth in claim 17, where said divalent hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of dienyl polymers, vinyl aromatic polymers, dienyl copolymers, vinyl aromatic copolymers, and dienyl and vinyl aromatic copolymers having from about 3 to about 300 polymerization units.
- 19. A vulcanizable composition of matter, as set forth in claim 14, where SOL is formed from a solubilizing agent selected from diene monomers, vinyl aromatic monomers, and mixtures thereof.
- 20. A vulcanizable rubber composition as in claim 14, wherein said functional group A is selected from the group consisting of radicals of pyrrolidine; piperidine; monoalkyl-piperazine; perhydroazepine, 1-azacyclooctane; azacyclotridecane; azacycloheptadecane; 1-azacycloheptadec-9-ene; and, 1-azacycloheptadec-8-ene.
- 21. A vulcanizable rubber composition as in claim 20, wherein said perhydroazepine is selected from the group consisting of 3,3,5-trimethylhexahydroazepine and hexamethyleneimine.
- 22. A vulcanizable rubber composition as in claim 14, wherein said functional group is bicyclic.
- 23. A vulcanizable rubber composition as in claim 22, wherein said bicyclic functional group is selected from the group consisting of perhydroisoquinoline, perhydroindole and 1,3,3-trimethyl-6-azabicyclo octane.
- 24. A vulcanizable rubber composition as in claim 14, wherein said substituted alkylene is a mono- to octa-substituted alkylene.
- 25. A vulcanizable rubber composition as in claim 24, wherein the substituent of said substituted alkylene is linear or branched and has from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms.
- 26. A vulcanizable rubber composition as in claim 25, wherein said substituent is selected from the group consisting of alkyls, cycloalkyls, bicycloalkyls, aryls, and aralkyls.
- 27. A tire component formed from the vulcanizable rubber composition of claim 14.
- 28. A functionalized polymer prepared by a process comprising the step of:
- preparing a solution of a cyclic amine compound, an organolithium compound, and from 3 to about 300 equivalents, based upon one equivalent of lithium, of a monomer selected from the group consisting of conjugated dienes having from about 4 to about 12 carbon atoms, monovinyl aromatic monomers having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, trienes, and mixtures thereof, where said cyclic amine compound is defined by the formula ##STR27## where R.sub.2 is selected from the group consisting of an alkylene, substituted alkylene, oxy- or N-alkylamino-alkylene group having from about 3 to about 16 methylene groups, N is a nitrogen atom, and H is a hydrogen atom, thereby forming a polymerization initiator having the formula
- (A)Li(SOL).sub.y
- where Li is a lithium atom, SOL is a divalent hydrocarbon group having from 3 to about 300 polymerized monomeric units, where y is from about 1 to about 3, and A is a cyclic amine radical derived from said cyclic amine;
- charging the solution containing (A)Li(SOL).sub.y with sufficient monomer to form a living polymeric structure; and
- quenching the living polymeric structure.
- 29. A functionalized polymer, as set forth in claim 28, where said process further includes heating the solution containing (A)Li(SOL).sub.y to a temperature of from about 20.degree. C. to about 200.degree. C.
- 30. A functionalized polymer, as set forth in claim 29, where a polar coordinator is also added to the solution containing (A)Li(SOL).sub.y.
- 31. A functionalized polymer, as set forth in claim 29, where said step of quenching the living polymeric structure includes the use of an agent selected from the group consisting of terminating agents, coupling agents and linking agents.
- 32. A functionalized polymer, as set forth in claim 31, wherein said terminating agent, coupling and linking agents are selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide; N,N,N',N'-tetraalkyldiaminobenzophenones; N,N-dialkylaminobenzaldehydes; 1,3-dialkylimidazolidinones; 1-alkyl substituted pyrrolidinones; 1-aryl substituted pyrrolidinones; dialkyl- and dicycloalkyl-carbodiimides having from about 5 to about 20 carbon atoms; (R.sub.3).sub.a ZX.sub.b ; ##STR28## where Z is tin or silicon; R.sub.3 is selected from the group consisting of alkyls having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, cycloalkyls having from about 3 to about 20 carbon atoms, aryls having from 6 to about 20 carbon atoms and aralkyls having from about 7 to about 20 carbon atoms; X is chlorine or bromine; a is from 0 to 3 and b is from 1 to 4 where a+b=4; each R.sub.4 is the same or different and is selected from the group consisting of alkyls, cycloalkyls and aryls, having from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms; R.sub.5 is selected from the group consisting of alkyls, phenyls, alkylphenyls and N,N-dialkylaminophenyls, having from about 4 to about 20 carbon atoms; each R.sub.6 is the same or different, and is selected from the group consisting of alkyls and cycloalkyls having from 1 to about 12 carbon atoms; and, R.sub.7 is selected from the group consisting of alkyls, phenyls, alkylphenyls and N,N-dialkylaminophenyls having from 1 to about 20 carbon atoms.
- 33. A functionalized polymer prepared by a process comprising the steps of:
- initiating polymerization of monomers selected from the group consisting of conjugated dienes having from about 4 to about 12 carbon atoms, monovinyl aromatic monomers having 8 to 18 carbon atoms, trienes, and mixtures thereof, with an initiator that is selected from compounds defined by the formula
- (A)Li(SOL).sub.y
- where Li is a lithium atom, SOL is a divalent moiety selected from the group consisting of hydrocarbons, ethers, and amines, where y is from about 1 to about 3, and A is a cyclic amine radical defined by the formula ##STR29## where R.sub.2 is selected from the group consisting of an alkylene, substituted alkylene, oxy- or N-alkylamino-alkylene group having from about 3 to about 16 methylene groups, and N is a nitrogen atom; and
- quenching the polymerization.
- 34. A functionalized polymer, as set forth in claim 33, where said cyclic amine radical is selected from the group of radicals consisting of pyrrolidine; piperidine; monoalkyl-piperazine; perhydroazepine, 1-azacyclooctane; azacyclotridecane; azacycloheptadecane; 1-azacycloheptadec-9-ene; and, 1-azacycloheptadec-8-ene.
- 35. A functionalized polymer, as set forth in claim 34, where said perhydroazepine is selected from the group consisting of 3,3,5-trimethylhexahydroazepine and hexamethyleneimine.
- 36. A functionalized polymer, as set forth in claim 33, where said cyclic amine radical is bicyclic.
- 37. A functionalized polymer, as set forth in claim 36, where said bicyclic functional group is selected from the group consisting of perhydroisoquinoline, perhydroindole and 1,3,3-trimethyl-6-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 08/973,000 filed on Nov. 19, 1997, now abandoned, which is a file wrapper continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/625,928, filed Apr. 1, 1996, now abandoned, which is a file wrapper continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/328,985, filed Oct. 25, 1994, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/065,791, filed May 24, 1993, now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/955,969, filed Oct. 2, 1992, which is now U.S. Pat. No. 5,332,810.
US Referenced Citations (54)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0 067 111 A2 |
May 1982 |
EPX |
Continuations (3)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
973000 |
Nov 1997 |
|
Parent |
625928 |
Apr 1996 |
|
Parent |
328985 |
Oct 1994 |
|
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
065791 |
May 1993 |
|
Parent |
955969 |
Oct 1992 |
|