Process and catalyst for production of rubbery polymers

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR POLYMERIZING A CONJUGATED DIENE CONTAINING FROM 4 TO 8, INCLUSIVE, CARBON ATOMS WHICH COMPRISES MIXING A METAL COMPOUND SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF COBALTOUS AND NICKELOUS HALIDES WITH AN ORGANOALUMINUM COMPOUND HAVING THE FORMULA R3AL, WHEREIN R IS SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKYL, ARYL, ALKARYL, ARALKYL AND CYCLOALKYL RADICALS; AGING THE RESULTING MIXTURE; ADDING TO SAID AGED MIXTURE AN ADJUVANT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF MONOOLEFINS CONTAINING FROM 2 TO 9 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE AND CONJUGATED DIENES CONTAINING FROM 4 TO 8 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE; AGING THE RESULTING COMPOSITION; SEPARATING SOLID MATERIAL FROM THE AGED COMPOSITION; AND CONTACTING UNDER POLYMERIZATION CONDITIONS A MONOMERIC MATERIAL COMPRISING A CONJUGATED DIENE CONTAINING FROM 4 TO 8, INCLUSIVE, CARBON ATOMS WITH SOLUTION REMAINING AFTER SEPARATION OF SAID SOLID MATERIAL.