GB825882A - Process for producing modified polymers - Google Patents

Abstract

An olefinically unsaturated hydrocarbon is polymerized in the presence of a conjugated diene polymer and a catalyst selected from (A) a metal halide selected from halides of titanium, zirconium, hafnium, or germanium, and (B) at least one component selected from (a) a compound of the formula M1R1x where M1 is a metal selected from sodium, potassium, lithium, rubidium, cesium, beryllium, magnesium, zinc, cadmium, mercury, aluminium, gallium, indium, or thallium and R1 is hydrogen, an alkyl radical, a cycloalkyl radical or an aryl radical, and x is equal to the valency of the metal; (b) an organometal halide of the formula RmMXn where R is an alkyl, cycloalkyl, or aryl radical, M is a metal selected from aluminium, gallium, indium, thallium, or beryllium, X is a halogen, and m and n are integers whose sum is that of the valency of the metal; and (c) a mixture of an organic halide and at least one metal selected from sodium, potassium, lithium, rubidium, cesium, beryllium, magnesium, zinc, cadmium, mercury, aluminium, gallium, indium, and thallium. The polymerization is preferably effected in the presence of an inert diluent. Specified catalyst mixtures are triethylalumium and/or titanium tri- or tetrachloride, and triethylaluminium and zirconium tetrachloride. The hydrocarbon monomer may be ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, styrene, alpha-methylstyrene, alkyl-substituted styrenes, 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, piperylene, or 2-methylpentadiene. The diene polymer may be a homopolymer of 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, piperylene, 2-methylpentadiene, 2,3 - dimethyl - 1,3 - butadiene, 1,3-hexadiene, 2,4-hexadiene, 2,4-heptadiene, 2,4-dimethyl - 1,3 - hexadiene, 2,4 - dimethyl - 1,3-octadiene, 2,3 - dimethyl - 4 - phenyl - 1,3-butadiene, or chloroprene, or a copolymer of one or more of the above monomers with one or more of the following monomers, e.g. isoprene, styrene, alpha - methylstyrene, vinyl naphthalene, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, methyl or ethyl acrylate, methyl or ethyl methacrylate, methyl alpha-chloroacrylate, acrylonitrile, 2-vinyl pyridine, 2 - methyl - 5 - vinylpyridine, methyl isopropenyl ketone, methyl vinyl ketone, methyl vinyl ether, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, vinyl furane, or vinylcarbazole. The diluents may be pentane, isooctane, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane, benzene, toluene, xylene, diethyl ether, or mixtures. The products of the process may be used for making gaskets, tubing, and automobile tyres.