Process and product of treating live polymers with divinyl benzene and an active halogen compound

Abstract

Abstract The process described herein involves a method of converting relatively low molecular weight polymers of conjugated dienes prepared by alkali metal-catalyzed polymerizations, such as alkyllithium catalyzed polymerizations, and still containing active lithium or other alkali metal therein, by post-reaction with a mixture of divinyl benzene and a halocompound having highly active halogen, such as bis(chloromethyl) ether, to give higher molecular weight polymers having improved cold flow resistance, processability, green strength, oil extendability, etc. The improvements are much greater than can be effected by postreaction with either the divinyl benzene or the highly active halocompound individually, or by having divinyl benzene present during the polymerization. The highly active halocompounds include chloro, bromo and iodo compounds in which the halogen is attached to a carbon atom alpha to an activating group such as a polar or unsaturated group. The postreacted products are highly branched elastomers having a broad molecular weight distribution and possessing less cold flow than the polymers from which they are produced. Surprisingly, even though the molecular weight of the polymer is increased many times, the reaction product displays little or no tendency for cold flow even after extension with oil.

Inventors

• 👤 A Halasa
• 👤 E Schroeder

Bibliographic Details