Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08C—TREATMENT OR CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF RUBBERS
  • C08C19/00—Chemical modification of rubber
  • C08C19/25—Incorporating silicon atoms into the molecule
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
  • C08F136/00—Homopolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, at least one having two or more carbon-to-carbon double bonds
  • C08F136/02—Homopolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, at least one having two or more carbon-to-carbon double bonds the radical having only two carbon-to-carbon double bonds
  • C08F136/04—Homopolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, at least one having two or more carbon-to-carbon double bonds the radical having only two carbon-to-carbon double bonds conjugated
  • C08F136/06—Butadiene
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60C—VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES
  • B60C1/00—Tyres characterised by the chemical composition or the physical arrangement or mixture of the composition
  • B60C1/0016—Compositions of the tread
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08C—TREATMENT OR CHEMICAL MODIFICATION OF RUBBERS
  • C08C19/00—Chemical modification of rubber
  • C08C19/30—Addition of a reagent which reacts with a hetero atom or a group containing hetero atoms of the macromolecule
  • C08C19/42—Addition of a reagent which reacts with a hetero atom or a group containing hetero atoms of the macromolecule reacting with metals or metal-containing groups
  • C08C19/44—Addition of a reagent which reacts with a hetero atom or a group containing hetero atoms of the macromolecule reacting with metals or metal-containing groups of polymers containing metal atoms exclusively at one or both ends of the skeleton
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08F—MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
  • C08F4/00—Polymerisation catalysts
  • C08F4/42—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors
  • C08F4/44—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors selected from light metals, zinc, cadmium, mercury, copper, silver, gold, boron, gallium, indium, thallium, rare earths or actinides
  • C08F4/54—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors selected from light metals, zinc, cadmium, mercury, copper, silver, gold, boron, gallium, indium, thallium, rare earths or actinides together with other compounds thereof
  • C08F4/545—Metals; Metal hydrides; Metallo-organic compounds; Use thereof as catalyst precursors selected from light metals, zinc, cadmium, mercury, copper, silver, gold, boron, gallium, indium, thallium, rare earths or actinides together with other compounds thereof rare earths being present, e.g. triethylaluminium + neodymium octanoate
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/00—Use of inorganic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/01—Use of inorganic substances as compounding ingredients characterized by their specific function
  • C08K3/013—Fillers, pigments or reinforcing additives
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/00—Use of inorganic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/02—Elements
  • C08K3/04—Carbon
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/00—Use of inorganic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/34—Silicon-containing compounds
  • C08K3/36—Silica
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K5/00—Use of organic ingredients
  • C08K5/0008—Organic ingredients according to more than one of the "one dot" groups of C08K5/01 - C08K5/59
  • C08K5/0016—Plasticisers
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K5/00—Use of organic ingredients
  • C08K5/0008—Organic ingredients according to more than one of the "one dot" groups of C08K5/01 - C08K5/59
  • C08K5/005—Stabilisers against oxidation, heat, light, ozone
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L19/00—Compositions of rubbers not provided for in groups C08L7/00 - C08L17/00
  • C08L19/006—Rubber characterised by functional groups, e.g. telechelic diene polymers
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L7/00—Compositions of natural rubber
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L9/00—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of conjugated diene hydrocarbons
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L9/00—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of conjugated diene hydrocarbons
  • C08L9/06—Copolymers with styrene

Definitions

• the present application is directed to a modified high- cis polybutadiene polymer, related methods and tire rubber compositions.
• High-cis polybutadiene polymers have numerous uses in industry, including use in tire rubber compositions for use in tire components such as tire treads. Modification of such high-cis polybutadiene polymers by certain functionalizing compounds to increase filler-polymer interactions may lead to a polymer with a desirable initial Mooney viscosity, but such polymers may be prone to Mooney viscosity growth upon aging creating challenges with storage of the modified polymer.
• a process for preparing a modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer.
• the process comprises: (A) providing a catalyst system comprising (a) a lanthanide-based catalyst system comprising (i) a lanthanide compound, (ii) an alkylating agent, and (iii) a halogen source, where (iii) may optionally be provided by (i), (ii), or both (i) and (ii); (b) a nickel-based catalyst system comprising (i) a nickel compound, optionally in combination with an alcohol, (ii) an organoaluminum, organomagnesium, organozinc compound, or a combination thereof, and (iii) a fluorine- containing compound or a complex thereof; or (c) a cobalt-based catalyst system, comprising (i) a cobalt compound, (ii) an organo aluminum halide, and (iii)
• R 1 is selected from hydrocarbylene of C1-C20, wherein each of the foregoing optionally contain one unsaturated carbon-carbon bond, each R' is selected from alkoxy of C1-C20, and R” is selected from alkyl of Ci- C2o or aryl of C6-C20, thereby producing a modified high-cis polybutadiene having a cis 1,4-bond content of at least 92%; (D) isolating the modified high-cis polybutadiene of (C) to produce a final modified high-cis polybutadiene having, an initial Mooney viscosity MLi+4 at 100 °C of 20-100, and an aged Mooney viscosity ML I +4 at 100 °C of no more than 120.
• a modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer is provided.
• the modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer has polymer chains bonded to a residue of a functionalizing compound having formula (I) as follows
• X is a group reactive with the living end polymer chains and is selected from the group consisting of cyano, epoxy, ketone, aldehyde, ester, and acid anhydrides
• R 1 is selected from hydrocarbylene of C1-C20, wherein each of the foregoing optionally contain one unsaturated carbon-carbon bond
• R' is selected from alkoxy of C1-C20
• R” is selected from alkyl of C1-C20 or aryl of C6-C20, and wherein each polymer chain is bonded to the residue of the functionalizing compound through the X group, and the polymer has an initial Mooney viscosity ML I +4 at 100 °C of 20-100, and an aged Mooney viscosity ML I +4 at 100 °C of no more than 120.
• a tire component comprising a rubber composition including the high-cis modified polybutadiene of the second embodiment or a high-cis modified polybutadiene made by the process of the first embodiment.
• the rubber composition of the tire component comprises (a) an elastomer component comprising: (i) 10-100 phr of a high-cis modified polybutadiene polymer according to second embodiment or the high-cis modified polybutadiene polymer resulting from the process of the first embodiment, and (ii) 0-90 phr of at least one additional polymer selected from the group consisting of unmodified polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene, natural rubber, polyisoprene; (b) a reinforcing filler component comprising: (i) 10-200 phr of reinforcing silica filler, and (ii) 0-50 phr of reinforcing carbon black filler, wherein
• a modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer processes for preparing the modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer, and tire rubber compositions containing the modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer.
• a process for preparing a modified high cis polybutadiene polymer.
• the process comprises: (A) providing a catalyst system comprising (a) a lanthanide-based catalyst system comprising (i) a lanthanide compound, (ii) an alkylating agent, and (iii) a halogen source, where (iii) may optionally be provided by (i), (ii), or both (i) and (ii); (b) a nickel-based catalyst system comprising (i) a nickel compound, optionally in combination with an alcohol, (ii) an organoaluminum, organomagnesium, organozinc compound, or a combination thereof, and (iii) a fluorine- containing compound or a complex thereof; or (c) a cobalt-based catalyst system, comprising (i) a cobalt compound, (ii) an organo aluminum halide, and (iii)
• R 1 is selected from hydrocarbylene of C 1 -C 20 , preferably C 1 -C 10 , more preferably C 1 -C 3 , wherein each of the foregoing optionally contain one unsaturated carbon-carbon bond, each R' is selected from alkoxy of Ci- C 20 , preferably alkoxy of C 1 -C 10 , more preferably alkoxy of C 1 -C 6 , most preferably alkoxy of Ci or C 2 , and R” is selected from alkyl of C 1 -C 20 or aryl of C 6 -C 20 , preferably alkyl of C 1 -C 10 or aryl of C 6 - Ci 4 , more preferably alkyl of C 1 -C 6 or aryl of C 6 , thereby producing a modified high-cis polybuta
• a modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer is provided.
• the modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer has polymer chains bonded to a residue of a functionalizing compound having formula (I) as follows
• R 1 is selected from hydrocarbylene of C 1 -C 20 , preferably C 1 -C 10 , more preferably C 1 -C 3 , wherein each of the foregoing optionally contain one unsaturated carbon-carbon bond
• R' is selected from alkoxy of C 1 -C 20 , preferably alkoxy of C 1 -C 10 , more preferably alkoxy of C 1 -C 6 , most preferably alkoxy of Ci or C 2
• R” is selected from alkyl of Ci-C 2 o or aryl of C 6 -C 20 , preferably alkyl of C 1 -C 10 or aryl of C 6 -C 14 , more preferably alkyl of C1-C6 or aryl of Ce, and wherein each polymer chain is bonded to the residue of the
• a tire component comprising a rubber composition including the high-cis modified polybutadiene of the second embodiment or a high-cis modified polybutadiene made by the process of the first embodiment.
• the rubber composition of the tire component comprises (a) an elastomer component comprising: (i) 10-100 phr, preferably 20-80 phr of a high-cis modified polybutadiene polymer according to second embodiment or the high-cis modified polybutadiene polymer resulting from the process of the first embodiment, and (ii) 0-90 phr of at least one additional polymer selected from the group consisting of unmodified polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene, natural rubber, polyisoprene; (b) a reinforcing filler component comprising: (i) 10-200 phr, preferably 30-200 phr, more preferably 50-150 phr of reinforcing
• the term "living end” e.g., living end of a polymer chain
• the living end is used to refer to a polymer species having a living end that has not yet been terminated; the living end is capable of reacting with a functionalizing compound and, thus, can be described as reactive.
• the abbreviation Mn is used for number average molecular weight.
• Mw is used for weight average molecular weight.
• Mooney viscosity refers to the Mooney viscosity, MLi + 4. As those of skill in the art will understand, a polymer or rubber composition's Mooney viscosity is measured prior to vulcanization or curing.
• natural rubber means naturally occurring rubber such as can be harvested from sources such as Hevea rubber trees and non -Hevea sources (e.g., guayule shrubs and dandelions such as TKS).
• sources such as Hevea rubber trees and non -Hevea sources (e.g., guayule shrubs and dandelions such as TKS).
• natural rubber should be construed so as to exclude synthetic polyisoprene.
• the term "phr” means parts per one hundred parts rubber.
• the one hundred parts rubber may also be referred to herein as 100 parts of an elastomer component.
• polyisoprene means synthetic polyisoprene.
• the term is used to indicate a polymer that is manufactured from isoprene monomers, and should not be construed as including naturally occurring rubber (e.g., Hevea natural rubber, guayule-sourced natural rubber, or dandelion-sourced natural rubber).
• polyisoprene should be construed as including polyisoprenes manufactured from natural sources of isoprene monomer.
• the term "tread,” refers to both the portion of a tire that comes into contact with the road under normal inflation and load as well as any subtread.
• process of the first embodiment described herein can be considered to be solution polymerization processes.
• the polymerization reaction takes place in organic solvent-based solution.
• organic solvent-based solution initially contains a quantity of conjugated diene monomer and one of the specified catalyst systems.
• the organic solvent- based solution comprises 20-90% by weight (wt%) organic solvent based on the total weight of the monomer, organic solvent, and polybutadiene in the solution.
• the organic solvent comprises the predominant component of the solution, i.e., 50-90 wt% organic solvent, and more preferably 70 wt% to 90 wt% organic solvent based on the total weight of the monomer, organic solvent, and polybutadiene.
• the solution polymerization processes disclosed herein can be contrasted with gas-type or bulk-type polymerizations, where polymerization is carried out in the absence of any organic solvent or where there is less than 20 wt% organic solvent present based on the total weight of the monomer, organic solvent, and polybutadiene.
• Suitable organic solvents for use in solution polymerization processes according to the first embodiment described herein are those solvents that are inert to the polymerization reaction such that the solvent is not a reactant in the polymerization reaction.
• Suitable organic solvents include aromatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, a nd cycloaliphatic hydrocarbons. Examples of suitable aromatic hydrocarbon solvents include, but are not limited to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, diethylbenzene, naphthalenes, mesitylene, xylenes, and the like.
• suitable aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents include, but are not limited to, n- pentane, n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane, n-nonane, n-decane, isopentane, hexanes, isohexanes, isopentanes, isooctanes, 2,2-dimethylbutane, petroleum ether, kerosene, petroleum spirits, and the like.
• suitable cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon solvents include cyclopentane, cyclohexane, methylcyclopentane, methylcyclohexane, and the like.
• the preferred organic solvent includes an aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent, a cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon solvent, or mixtures thereof. Additional useful organic solvents suitable for use in the processes of the first embodiment are known to those skilled in the art.
• Solution polymerization processes according to the first embodiment disclosed herein are preferably conducted under anaerobic conditions under a blanket of inert gas, such as nitrogen, argon, or helium.
• the polymerization temperature may vary widely, ranging from -50 °C to 150 °C, with the preferred temperature range being 50 °C to 120 °C.
• the polymerization pressure may also vary widely, ranging from 1 atmosphere (atm) to 30 atm, preferably 1 atm to 10 atm (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 atm).
• a solution polymerization process according to the first embodiment disclosed herein may be conducted as a continuous, a semi-continuous, or a batch process.
• a semi- continuous process the monomer is intermittingly charged to replace the monomer that has already polymerized.
• the polymerization of 1,3-butadiene monomer into a high-cis polybutadiene in accordance with the processes described herein occurs when the monomer and the lanthanide-based catalyst system are all present in the organic solvent-based solution. The order of addition of the monomer and catalyst to the organic solvent does not matter.
• the polymerization process of the first embodiment as disclosed herein can be stopped by adding any suitable terminating agent.
• suitable terminating agents include protic compounds, such as alcohols, carboxylic acids, inorganic acids, water, and mixtures thereof.
• Other suitable terminating agents are known to those skilled in the art.
• the resulting high-cis polydiene can be recovered (or isolated) from the solution using conventional methods, e.g., steam desolventization or steam distillation, coagulation with an alcohol, filtration, purification, drying, etc., known to those skilled in the art.
• the high-cis polybutadiene polymer is isolated by the use of steam distillation.
• the catalyst system is selected from one of (a) a lanthanide-based catalyst system, (b) a nickel-based catalyst system, or (c) a cobalt-based catalyst system.
• a lanthanide-based catalyst system is used.
• Use of one of the specified catalyst systems in the process of the first embodiment provides advantages in modifying the living end of the polymer chains with a functionalizing compound, as discussed further infra.
• the catalyst system that is used avoids the use of anionic initiator (e.g., an organolithium compound such as n-butyl lithium).
• the process of the first embodiment may utilize a lanthanide-based catalyst system which comprises: (i) a lanthanide compound, (ii) an alkylating agent, and (iii) a halogen source, where (iii) may optionally be provided by (i), (ii), or both (i) and (ii).
• the lanthanide-based catalyst system is used to polymerize a quantity of conjugated diene monomer (discussed in more detail below) to produce polymer chains with a living end.
• the lanthanide-based catalyst system is pre-formed before being added to any solution of the conjugated diene monomer.
• the lanthanide-based catalyst system employed in the processes of the first embodiment includes a lanthanide compound.
• Lanthanide compounds useful in the processes of the first embodiment are those compounds that include at least one atom of a lanthanide element.
• lanthanide element refers to the elements found in the lanthanide series of the Periodic Table (i.e., element numbers 57-71) as well as didymium, which is a mixture of rare-earth elements obtained from monazite sand.
• the lanthanide elements as disclosed herein include lanthanum, neodymium, cerium, praseodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, and didymium.
• the lanthanide compound includes at least one atom of neodymium, gadolinium, samarium, or combinations thereof. Most preferably, the lanthanide compound includes at least one atom of neodymium.
• the lanthanide atom in the lanthanide compound can be in various oxidation states including, but not limited to, the 0, +2, +3, and +4 oxidation states.
• a trivalent lanthanide compound where the lanthanide atom is in the +3 oxidation state, is used.
• suitable lanthanide compounds for use in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, lanthanide carboxylates, lanthanide organophosphates, lanthanide organophosphonates, lanthanide organophosphinates, lanthanide carbamates, lanthanide dithiocarbamates, lanthanide xanthates, lanthanide b-diketonates, lanthanide alkoxides or aryloxides, lanthanide halides, lanthanide pseudo-halides, lanthanide oxyhalides, and organolanthanide compounds.
• the lanthanide compound is a lanthanide carboxylate, more preferably a neodymium carboxylate and most preferably neodymium versatate.
• the lanthanide compound(s) may be soluble in hydrocarbon solvents such as the aromatic hydrocarbon solvents, aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents, or cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon solvents disclosed herein.
• Hydrocarbon-insoluble lanthanide compounds can also be useful in the process of the first embodiment, as they can be suspended in the polymerization medium to form the catalytically active species.
• neodymium organophosphates for use as the lanthanide compound in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, neodymium dibutyl phosphate, neodymium dipentyl phosphate, neodymium dihexyl phosphate, neodymium diheptyl phosphate, neodymium dioctyl phosphate, neodymium bis(l-methylheptyl)phosphate, neodymium bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate, neodymium didecyl phosphate, neodymium didodecyl phosphate, neodymium dioctadecyl phosphate, neodymium dioleyl phosphate, neodymium diphenyl phosphate, neodymium bis(p-nonylphenyl)phosphate,
• neodymium carbamates for use as the lanthanide compound in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, neodymium dimethylcarbamate, neodymium diethylcarbamate, neodymium diisopropylcarbamate, neodymium dibutylcarbamate, and neodymium dibenzylcarbamate.
• neodymium dithiocarbamates for use as the lanthanide compound in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, neodymium dimethyldithiocarbamate, neodymium diethyldithiocarbamate, neodymium diisopropyldithiocarbamate, neodymium dibutyldithiocarbamate, and neodymium dibenzyldithiocarbamate.
• neodymium xanthates for use as the lanthanide compound in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, neodymium methylxanthate, neodymium ethylxanthate, neodymium isopropylxanthate, neodymium butylxanthate, and neodymium benzylxanthate.
• neodymium b-diketonates for use as the lanthanide compound in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, neodymium acetylacetonate, neodymium trifluoroacetylacetonate, neodymium hexafluoroacetylacetonate, neodymium benzoylacetonate, and neodymium 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-3,5-heptanedionate.
• neodymium alkoxides or aryloxides for use as the lanthanide compound in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, neodymium methoxide, neodymium ethoxide, neodymium isopropoxide, neodymium 2-ethylhexoxide, neodymium phenoxide, neodymium nonylphenoxide, and neodymium naphthoxide.
• neodymium halides for use as the lanthanide compound in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, neodymium fluoride, neodymium chloride, neodymium bromide, and neodymium iodide.
• Suitable neodymium pseudo-halides include, but are not limited to, neodymium cyanide, neodymium cyanate, neodymium thiocyanate, neodymium azide, and neodymium ferrocyanide.
• Suitable neodymium oxyhalides include, but are not limited to, neodymium oxyfluoride, neodymium oxychloride, and neodymium oxybromide.
• a Lewis base such as tetrahydrofuran (“THF"), can be employed as an aid for solubilizing this class of neodymium compounds in inert organic solvents.
• THF tetrahydrofuran
• the lanthanide compound may optionally also provide all or part of the halogen source in the lanthanide-based catalyst system.
• organolanthanide compound refers to any lanthanide compound containing at least one lanthanide-carbon bond. These compounds are predominantly, though not exclusively, those containing cyclopentadienyl ("Cp"), substituted cyclopentadienyl, allyl, and substituted allyl ligands.
• Cp cyclopentadienyl
• Suitable organolanthanide compounds for use as the lanthanide compound in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, CpsLn, Cp2LnR, Cp2LnCI, CpLnC , CpLn(cyclooctatetraene), (CsMes LnR, LnR3, Ln(allyl)3, and Ln(allyl)2CI, where Ln represents a lanthanide atom, and R represents a hydrocarbyl group or a substituted hydrocarbyl group.
• hydrocarbyl groups or substituted hydrocarbyl groups useful in the processes of the first embodiment may contain heteroatoms such as, for example, nitrogen, oxygen, boron, silicon, sulfur, and phosphorus atoms.
• the lanthanide-based catalyst system employed in the processes of the first embodiment includes an alkylating agent.
• alkylating agents which may also be referred to as hydrocarbylating agents, include organometallic compounds that can transfer one or more hydrocarbyl groups to another metal.
• these agents include organometallic compounds of electropositive metals such as Groups 1, 2, and 3 metals (Groups IA, IIA, and MIA metals).
• Alkylating agents useful in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, organoaluminum and organomagnesium compounds.
• organoaluminum compound refers to any aluminum-containing compound having at least one aluminum-carbon bond. In one or more embodiments, organoaluminum compounds that are soluble in a hydrocarbon solvent can be used. As used herein, the term “organomagnesium compound” refers to any magnesium-containing compound having at least one magnesium- carbon bond. In one or more embodiments, organomagnesium compounds that are soluble in a hydrocarbon can be used. As will be described in more detail below, certain suitable alkylating agents may be in the form of a halide compound. Where the alkylating agent includes a halogen atom, the alkylating agent may optionally also provide all or part of the halogen source in the lanthanide-based catalyst system.
• organoaluminum compounds that are utilized include those represented by the general formula AIR a n X3- n , where each R a independently is a monovalent organic group that is attached to the aluminum atom via a carbon atom; where each X independently is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a carboxylate group, an alkoxide group, or an aryloxide group; and where n is an integer in the range of from 1 to 3.
• each R a independently is a hydrocarbyl group or a substituted hydrocarbyl group including, but not limited to, alkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, substituted cycloalkenyl, aryl, substituted aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl, allyl, and alkynyl groups, with each group containing from 1 carbon atom, or the appropriate minimum number of atoms to form the group, up to 20 carbon atoms (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 carbon atoms).
• These hydrocarbyl groups or substituted hydrocarbyl groups may optionally contain heteroatoms including, but not limited to, nitrogen, oxygen, boron, silicon, sulfur, and phosphorus atoms.
• Examples of types of organoaluminum compounds for use as the alkylating agent in the processes of the first embodiment that are represented by the general formula AIR a n X3- n include, but are not limited to, trihydrocarbylaluminum, dihydrocarbylaluminum hydride, hydrocarbylaluminum dihydride, dihydrocarbylaluminum carboxylate, hydrocarbylaluminum bis(carboxylate), dihydrocarbylaluminum alkoxide, hydrocarbylaluminum dialkoxide, dihydrocarbylaluminum halide, hydrocarbylaluminum dihalide, dihydrocarbylaluminum aryloxide, and hydrocarbylaluminum diaryloxide compounds.
• Examples of suitable trihydrocarbylaluminum compounds for use as the alkylating agent in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, trimethylaluminum, triethylaluminum, triisobutylaluminum, tri-n-propylaluminum, triisopropylaluminum, tri-n-butylaluminum, tri-t-butylaluminum, tri-n-pentylaluminum, trineopentylaluminum, tri-n-hexylaluminum, tri-n-octylaluminum, tris(2-ethylhexyl)aluminum, tricyclohexylaluminum, tris (l-methylcyclopentyl)aluminum, triphenylaluminum, tri-p- tolylaluminum, tris(2,6-dimethylphenyl)aluminum, tribenzylaluminum, diethylpheny
• Examples of suitable dihydrocarbylaluminum hydride compounds for use as the alkylating agent in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, diethylaluminum hydride, di-n-propylaluminum hydride, diisopropylaluminum hydride, di-n- butylaluminum hydride, diisobutylaluminum hydride, di-n-octylaluminum hydride, diphenylaluminum hydride, di-p-tolylaluminum hydride, dibenzylaluminum hydride, phenylethylaluminum hydride, phenyl-n-propylaluminum hydride, phenylisopropylaluminum hydride, phenyl-n-butylaluminum hydride, phenylisobutylaluminum hydride, phenyl-n- octylalum
• hydrocarbylaluminum dihydrides for use as the alkylating agent in the processes include, but are not limited to, ethylaluminum dihydride, n- propylaluminum dihydride, isopropylaluminum dihydride, n-butylaluminum dihydride, isobutylaluminum dihydride, and n-octylaluminum dihydride.
• Examples of suitable dihydrocarbylaluminum halide compounds for use as the alkylating agent in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, diethylaluminum chloride, di-n-propylaluminum chloride, diisopropylaluminum chloride, di-n- butylaluminum chloride, diisobutylaluminum chloride, di-n-octylaluminum chloride, diphenylaluminum chloride, di-p-tolylaluminum chloride, dibenzylaluminum chloride, phenylethylaluminum chloride, phenyl-n-propylaluminum chloride, phenylisopropylaluminum chloride, phenyl-n-butylaluminum chloride, phenylisobutylaluminum chloride, phenyl-n- octylaluminum chloride, p-tolylethyla
• hydrocarbylaluminum dihalide compounds for use as the alkylating agent in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, ethylaluminum dichloride, n-propylaluminum dichloride, isopropylaluminum dichloride, n- butylaluminum dichloride, isobutylaluminum dichloride, and n-octylaluminum dichloride.
• Examples of other suitable organoaluminum compounds for use as the alkylating agent in the processes of the first embodiment that are represented by the general formula AIR a n X3- n include, but are not limited to, dimethylaluminum hexanoate, diethylaluminum octoate, diisobutylaluminum 2-ethylhexanoate, dimethylaluminum neodecanoate, diethylaluminum stearate, diisobutylaluminum oleate, methylaluminum bis(hexanoate), ethylaluminum bis(octoate), isobutylaluminum bis(2-ethylhexanoate), methylaluminum bis(neodecanoate), ethylaluminum bis(stearate), isobutylaluminum bis(oleate), dimethylaluminum methoxide, diethylalum
• aluminoxanes Another class of organoaluminum compounds suitable for use as an alkylating agent in the processes of the first embodiment is aluminoxanes.
• Suitable aluminoxanes include oligomeric linear aluminoxanes, which can be represented by the general formula:
• oligomeric cyclic aluminoxanes which can be represented by the general formula: where x is an integer in the range of from 1 to 100 (e.g., 1, 10, 20, BO, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, or 100), or 10 to 50 (e.g., 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, or 50); y is an integer in the range of from 2 to 100 (e.g., 2, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 or 100), or 3 to 20 (e.g., 3, 5, 10, 15, or 20); and where each R independently is a monovalent organic group that is attached to the aluminum atom via a carbon atom.
• each R independently is a hydrocarbyl group or a substituted hydrocarbyl group including, but not limited to, alkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, substituted cycloalkenyl, aryl, substituted aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl, allyl, and alkynyl groups, with each group preferably containing from 1 carbon atom, or the appropriate minimum number of atoms to form the group, up to 20 carbon atoms (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 carbon atoms).
• hydrocarbyl groups or substituted hydrocarbyl groups may also contain heteroatoms including, but not limited to, nitrogen, oxygen, boron, silicon, sulfur, and phosphorus atoms.
• the number of moles of the aluminoxane refers to the number of moles of the aluminum atoms rather than the number of moles of the oligomeric aluminoxane molecules. This convention is commonly employed in the art of catalyst systems utilizing aluminoxanes.
• Aluminoxanes can be prepared by reacting trihydrocarbylaluminum compounds with water. This reaction can be performed according to known methods, such as, for example, (1) a method in which the trihydrocarbylaluminum compound is dissolved in an organic solvent and then contacted with water, (2) a method in which the trihydrocarbylaluminum compound is reacted with water of crystallization contained in, for example, metal salts, or water adsorbed in inorganic or organic compounds, or (3) a method in which the trihydrocarbylaluminum compound is reacted with water in the presence of the monomer or monomer solution that is to be polymerized.
• MAO methylaluminoxane
• MMAO modified methyla
• the alkylating agent includes MAO.
• Modified methylaluminoxane can be formed by substituting from 20 to 80 percent of the methyl groups of methylaluminoxane with C 2 to C 12 hydrocarbyl groups (e.g., C 2 , C 3 , C 4 , C 5 , C 6 , C 7 , Cs, Cg, C 10 , Cn or C 12 ), preferably with isobutyl groups, by using techniques known to those skilled in the art.
• aluminoxanes can be used alone or in combination with other organoaluminum compounds.
• methylaluminoxane and at least one organoaluminum compound other than aluminoxane are used in combination as the alkylating agent.
• the alkylating agent comprises a dihydrocarbylaluminum hydride, a dihydrocarbylaluminum halide, an aluminoxane, or combinations thereof.
• the alkylating agent comprises diisobutylaluminum hydride, diethylaluminum chloride, methylaluminoxane, or combinations thereof.
• U.S. Pat. No. 8,017,695 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, provides other examples where aluminoxanes and organoaluminum compounds can be employed in combination.
• suitable alkylating agents used in the processes of the first embodiment include organomagnesium compounds.
• suitable organomagnesium compounds include those represented by the general formula MgR b 2, where each R b independently is a monovalent organic group that is attached to the magnesium atom via a carbon atom.
• each R b independently is a hydrocarbyl group or a substituted hydrocarbyl group including, but not limited to, alkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, substituted cycloalkenyl, aryl, allyl, substituted aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl, and alkynyl groups, with each group preferably containing from 1 carbon atom, or the appropriate minimum number of atoms to form the group, up to 20 carbon atoms (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 carbon atoms).
• These hydrocarbyl groups or substituted hydrocarbyl groups may also optionally contain heteroatoms including, but not limited to, nitrogen, oxygen, silicon, sulfur, and phosphorus atoms.
• Examples of suitable organomagnesium compounds for use as the alkylating agent in the processes of the first embodiment hat are represented by the general formula MgR b 2 include, but are not limited to, diethylmagnesium, di-n-propylmagnesium, diisopropylmagnesium, dibutylmagnesium, dihexylmagnesium, diphenylmagnesium, and dibenzylmagnesium.
• R c MgX c Another class of organomagnesium compounds suitable for use as an alkylating agent in accordance with embodiments of the processes of the first embodiment is represented by the general formula R c MgX c , where R c is a monovalent organic group that is attached to the magnesium atom via a carbon atom, and X is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a carboxylate group, an alkoxide group, or an aryloxide group.
• R c is a hydrocarbyl group or a substituted hydrocarbyl group including, but not limited to, alkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, substituted cycloalkenyl, aryl, allyl, substituted aryl, aralkyl, alkaryl, and alkynyl groups, with each group containing from 1 carbon atom, or the appropriate minimum number of atoms to form the group, up to 20 carbon atoms (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 carbon atoms).
• hydrocarbyl groups or substituted hydrocarbyl groups may also contain heteroatoms including, but not limited to, nitrogen, oxygen, boron, silicon, sulfur, and phosphorus atoms.
• X c is a carboxylate group, an alkoxide group, or an aryloxide group, with each group containing from 1 carbon atom up to 20 carbon atoms (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 carbon atoms).
• organomagnesium compounds for use as the alkylating agent in the processes of the first embodiment that are represented by the general formula R c MgX c include, but are not limited to, hydrocarbylmagnesium hydride, hydrocarbylmagnesium halide, hydrocarbylmagnesium carboxylate, hydrocarbylmagnesium alkoxide, and hydrocarbylmagnesium aryloxide.
• organomagnesium compounds for use as the alkylating agent in the processes of the first embodiment represented by the general formula R c MgX c include, but are not limited to, methylmagnesium hydride, ethylmagnesium hydride, butylmagnesium hydride, hexylmagnesium hydride, phenylmagnesium hydride, benzylmagnesium hydride, methylmagnesium chloride, ethylmagnesium chloride, butylmagnesium chloride, hexylmagnesium chloride, phenylmagnesium chloride, benzylmagnesium chloride, methylmagnesium bromide, ethylmagnesium bromide, butylmagnesium bromide, hexylmagnesium bromide, phenylmagnesium bromide, benzylmagnesium bromide, methylmagnesium hexanoate, ethy
• the lanthanide-based catalyst systems employed in the processes of the first embodiment include a halogen source.
• the term "halogen source” refers to any substance including at least one halogen atom.
• all or part of the halogen source may optionally be provided by the lanthanide compound, the alkylating agent, or both the lanthanide compound and the alkylating agent.
• the lanthanide compound may serve as both the lanthanide compound and all or at least a portion of the halogen source.
• the alkylating agent may serve as both the alkylating agent and all or at least a portion of the halogen source.
• halogen source may be present in the catalyst system in the form of a separate and distinct halogen-containing compound.
• Various compounds, or mixtures thereof, that contain one or more halogen atoms can be used as the halogen source.
• halogen atoms include, but are not limited to, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine. A combination of two or more halogen atoms can also be utilized.
• Halogen-containing compounds that are soluble in an organic solvent such as the aromatic hydrocarbon, aliphatic hydrocarbon, and cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon solvents disclosed herein, are suitable for use as the halogen source in the processes of the first embodiment.
• hydrocarbon-insoluble halogen-containing compounds that can be suspended in a polymerization system to form the catalytically active species are also useful in certain embodiments of the processes of the first embodiment.
• the halogen-containing compound includes an organometallic halide.
• Examples of elemental halogens suitable for use as the halogen source in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine.
• suitable mixed halogens include, but are not limited to, iodine monochloride, iodine monobromide, iodine trichloride, and iodine pentafluoride.
• Suitable hydrogen halides for use as the halogen source in the processes disclosed include, but are not limited to, hydrogen fluoride, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen bromide, and hydrogen iodide.
• Examples of suitable organic halides for use as the halogen source in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, t-butyl chloride, t-butyl bromide, allyl chloride, allyl bromide, benzyl chloride, benzyl bromide, chloro-di-phenylmethane, bromo-di- phenylmethane, triphenylmethyl chloride, triphenylmethyl bromide, benzylidene chloride, benzylidene bromide, methyltrichlorosilane, phenyltrichlorosilane, dimethyldichlorosilane, diphenyldichlorosilane, trimethylchlorosilane, benzoyl chloride, benzoyl bromide, propionyl chloride, propionyl bromide, methyl chloroformate, and methyl bromoformate.
• Examples of suitable inorganic halides for use as the halogen source in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, phosphorus trichloride, phosphorus tribromide, phosphorus pentachloride, phosphorus oxychloride, phosphorus oxybromide, boron trifluoride, boron trichloride, boron tribromide, silicon tetrafluoride, silicon tetrachloride, silicon tetrabromide, silicon tetraiodide, arsenic trichloride, arsenic tribromide, arsenic triiodide, selenium tetrachloride, selenium tetrabromide, tellurium tetrachloride, tellurium tetrabromide, and tellurium tetraiodide.
• suitable metallic halides for use as the halogen source in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, tin tetrachloride, tin tetrabromide, aluminum trichloride, aluminum tribromide, antimony trichloride, antimony pentachloride, antimony tribromide, aluminum triiodide, aluminum trifluoride, gallium trichloride, gallium tribromide, gallium triiodide, gallium trifluoride, indium trichloride, indium tribromide, indium triiodide, indium trifluoride, titanium tetrachloride, titanium tetrabromide, titanium tetraiodide, zinc dichloride, zinc dibromide, zinc diiodide, and zinc difluoride.
• suitable organometallic halides for use as the halogen source in the processes of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, dimethylaluminum chloride, diethylaluminum chloride, dimethylaluminum bromide, diethylaluminum bromide, dimethylaluminum fluoride, diethylaluminum fluoride, methylaluminum dichloride, ethylaluminum dichloride, methylaluminum dibromide, ethylaluminum dibromide, methylaluminum difluoride, ethylaluminum difluoride, methylaluminum sesquichloride, ethylaluminum sesquichloride, isobutylaluminum sesquichloride, methylmagnesium chloride, methylmagnesium bromide, methylmagnesium iodide, ethylmagnesium chloride, ethylmagnesium
• the halogen source comprises an organometallic halide.
• the halogen source comprises diethylaluminum chloride, which as mentioned above can also serve as an alkylating agent in the lanthanide-based catalyst system.
• the halogen source may be provided in all or in part by the alkylating agent in the catalyst systems disclosed herein.
• the lanthanide-based catalyst system used in the process of the first embodiment may be formed by combining or mixing the foregoing catalyst ingredients.
• the terms “catalyst composition” and “catalyst system” can be used interchangeably herein.
• the process of the first embodiment may utilize a nickel- based catalyst system comprising (i) a nickel compound, optionally in combination with an alcohol, (ii) an organoaluminum, organomagnesium, organozinc compound, or a combination thereof, and (iii) a fluorine-containing compound or a complex thereof.
• a nickel-based catalyst system comprising (i) a nickel compound, optionally in combination with an alcohol, (ii) an organoaluminum, organomagnesium, organozinc compound, or a combination thereof, and (iii) a fluorine-containing compound or a complex thereof.
• the particular compounds used for each of (i), (ii) and (iii) may vary.
• the nickel compound that is used in the nickel-based catalyst system may vary.
• the nickel atom in the nickel-containing compound can be in various oxidation states including but not limited to the 0, ⁇ 2, +3, and +4 oxidation states.
• Suitable nickel-containing compounds for use in a nickel-based catalyst system according to the process of the first embodiment include, but are not limited to, nickel carboxyiates, nickel carboxy!ate borates, nickel organophosphates, nickel organophosphonates, nickel organophosphinates, nickel carbamates, nickel dithiocarbamates, nickel xanthates, nickel b-diketonates, nickel alkoxides or aryloxides, nickel halides, nickel pseudo-halides, nickel oxyhalides, and organonickel compounds
• the nickel compound is a nickel c rbox ia e.
• Suitable nickel carboxyiates can include nickel formate, nickel acetate, nickel acrylate, nickel methacrylate, nickel valerate, nickel gluconate, nickel citrate, nickel fumarate, nickel lactate, nickel maieate, nickel oxalate, nickel 2-ethylhexanoate, nickel neodecanoate, nickel naphthenate, nickel stearate, nickel oieate, nickel benzoate, and nickel picolinate.
• Suitable nickel carboxyiate borates may include compounds defined by the formulae ⁇ RCGONiO ⁇ ;-;B or (RCOONiO)2B(OR), where each R, which may be the same or different, is a hydrogen atom or a mono-valent organic group.
• each R may be a hydrocarbyi group such as, but not limited to, alkyl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, substituted cydoalkenyl, aryl, substituted aryl, aralkyl, a!karyl, aliyl, and a!kyny!
• Nickel carboxyiate borate may include those disclosed in U.S Pat. No. 4,522,988, which is incorporated herein by reference.
• nickel carboxyiate borate examples include nickei(M) neodecanoate borate, nickei(ll) hexanoate borate, nickel(li) naphthenate borate, nickeifll) stearate borafe, nickel(ii) octoafe borate, nickel(li) 2-ethy!hexanoate borate, and mixtures thereof.
• Suitable nickel organophosphates can include nickel dibutyl phosphate, nickel dipentyl phosphate, nickel dihexyl phosphate, nickel diheptyl phosphate, nickel dioctyl phosphate, nickel bis ⁇ l-methyiheptyi ⁇ phosphate, nickel bis ⁇ 2-ethyihexyl)phosphate, nickel didecy!
• Suitable nickel organophosphonates can include nickel butyl phosphonate, nickel pentyl phosphonate, nickel hexyl phosphonate, nickel heptyi phosphonate, nickel octyl phosphonate, nickel (l-methylheptyl)phosphonate, nickel ⁇ 2-ethylhexy!phosphonate, nickel decyl phosphonate, nickel dodecyl phosphonate, nickel octadecyl phosphonate, nickel oleyl phosphonate, nickel phenyl phosphonate, nickel (p-nonylphenyl)phosphonate, nickel butyl buty!phosphonate, nickel pentyl pentylphosphonate, nickel hexyl hexyiphosphonate, nickel heptyi heptyiphosphonate, nickel octyl octyipbosphonate, nickel ⁇ 1-methy!hepty
• Suitable nickel organophosphinates can include nickel butylpbosphinate, nickel pentyiphosphinate, nickel hexylphosphinate, nickel heptylphospbinate, nickel octylphosphinate, nickel (l-metbyiheptyijphosphinate, nickel (2-ethyihexyl)phospbinate, nickel deeylphosphinate, nickel dodecylphosphinate, nickel octadecylphosphinate, nickel oleylphosphinate, nickel phenylphosphinate, nickel (p-nonylphenyi)pbosphinate, nickel dihutylphosphinate, nickel dipentylphosphinate, nickel dihexylphosphinate, nickel diheptyiphosphinate, nickel dioctyipbosphinate, nickel bis(l- methylheptyl)phosphinate, nickel
• Suitable nickel carbamates can include nickel dimethyiearbamate, nickel diethylcarbamate, nickel diisopropyle rbarnate, nickel dihutylcarbamate, and nickel d i b e n z y I c a r b a rn a 1; e .
• Suitable nickel dithiocarbamates can include nickel dimethyidithiocarbamate, nickel diethyldlthiocarbamate, nickel diisopropyldithiocarbamate, nickel dibutyldithiocarbamate, and nickel dibenzylditbiocarbamate
• Suitable nickel xanthates include nickel methyixanthate, nickel ethyixanthate, nickel isopropylxantbate, nickel butyixantbate, and nickel benzylxantbate.
• Suitable nickel b-diketonates can include nickel acetyiacetonate, nickel trifluoroacetylacetonate, nickel hexafiuoroacetyiacetonate, nickel benzoyiacetonate, and nickel 2,2,6,6-tetrarr!e ⁇ hyl ⁇ 3,5-ber ⁇ 3nedior!ate.
• Suitable nickel alkoxides or aryloxides can include nickel methoxide, nickel etboxide, nickel isopropoxide, nickel 2-ethyihexoxide, nickel phenoxide, nickel nonyiphenoxide, and nickel naphthoxide.
• Suitable nickel halides can include nickel fluoride, nickel chloride, nickel bromide, and nickel iodide.
• Nickel pseudo-halides include nickel cyanide, nickel cyanate, nickel thiocyanate, nickel azide, and nickel ferrocyanide.
• Nickel oxyhalides include nickel oxyfluoride, nickel oxychloride and nickel oxybromide. Where the nickel halides, nickel oxyhalides or other nickel-containing compounds contain labile fluorine or chlorine atoms, the nickel-containing compounds can also serve as the fluorine-containing compound or the chlorine-containing compound.
• a Lewis base such as an alcohol can be used as a solubility aid for this class of compounds.
• organonickei compound may refer to any nickel compound containing at least one nickel-carbon bond
• Organonickei compounds include bis(cydopentadienyl) nickel (also called nickelocene), bis(pentamethyicyclopentadienyi) nickel (also called decamethylniekelocene), bis(tetramethylcyclopentadieny! nickel, bis(ethylcyelopentadienyl) nickel, bis(isopropylcydopentadienyl) nickel, bis ⁇ pentadienyl)nickel, bis(2,4- dimethyipentadienyi)nickel, (cydopentadienyi) (pentadienyl) nickel, bis(l,5- cydooctadiene)nickel, bis ⁇ al!yl ⁇ nickei, h!.s ⁇ metbaiiyl)nickel, and bis(crotyi)
• the organoaiuminum, organomagnesium compound, organozinc compound, or a combination thereof that is used for the (ii) component of the nickel-based catalyst system may vary in preferred embodiments, when the process of the first embodiment utilizes a nickel-based catalyst system, the component (ii) is an organoaiuminum or organomagnesium compound, more preferably an organoaiuminum compound.
• the organoaiuminum, organomagnesium, or organozinc compound includes labile fluorine it may also serve as the fluorine-containing compound (with no need for a separate fluorine-containing compound).
• the organoaiuminum, organomagnesium or organozinc compound is devoid of chlorine or bromine atoms.
• Suitable compounds for use as an organoaluminum compound or organomagnesium compound in a nickel-based catalyst system are discussed above in the section on lanthanide-based catalyst systems.
• the fluorine-containing compound that is used in the nickel-based catalyst system may vary.
• Suitable fluorine-containing compounds may include various compounds, or mixtures thereof, that contain one or more labile fluorine atoms in one or more embodiments, the fluorine-containing compound may be soluble in a hydrocarbon solvent.
• hydrocarbon-insoluble fluorine-containing compounds which can be suspended in the polymerization medium to form the catalyfically active species, may be useful.
• Suitable types of fluorine-containing compounds include, but are not limited to, elemental fluorine, halogen fluorides, hydrogen fluoride, organic fluorides, inorganic fluorides, metallic fluorides, organometallic fluorides, and mixtures thereof in one or more embodiments, the complexes of the fluorine-containing compounds with a Lewis base such as ethers, alcohols, water, aldehydes, ketones, esters, nitriles, or mixtures thereof may be employed. Specific examples of these complexes include the complexes of boron trifluoride and hydrogen fluoride with a Lewis base.
• Halogen fluorides may include iodine monofluoride, iodine trifiuoride, and iodine pentafluoride.
• Organic fluorides may include t -butyl fluoride, allyl fluoride, benzyl fluoride, fiuoro -di-pbenylmethane, triphenylmethy! fluoride, benzyiidene fluoride, methyltrifluorosilane, phenyltrifluorosilane, dimethyldifluorosilane, diphenyldifluorosiiane, trimethyifluorosilane, benzoyl fluoride, propionyl fluoride, and methyl fluoroformate
• inorganic fluorides may include phosphorus trifluoride, phosphorus pentafluoride, phosphorus oxyfiuoride, boron trifiuoride, silicon tetrafluoride, arsenic trifiuoride, selenium tetrafluoride, and tellurium tetrafluoride.
• Metallic fluorides may include tin tetrafluoride, aluminum trifiuoride, antimony trifiuoride, antimony pentafluoride, gallium trifiuoride, indium trifiuoride, titanium tetrafluoride, and zinc difluoride.
• Organometa!iic fluorides may include dimethy!aluminum fluoride, diethyialuminum fluoride, methyia!uminum difluoride, ethyialuminum difluoride, metbylaluminum sesquifluoride, ethyialuminum sesquifluoride, isobutyia!uminum sesquifluoride, methyimagnesium fluoride, ethylmagnesium fluoride, butylmagnesium fluoride, phenylmagnesium fluoride, benzyimagnesium fluoride, trimethyltin fluoride, triethyltin fluoride, di-t-butyliin difluoride, dibutyltin difluoride, and tributyltin fluoride.
• the nickel compound when the process of the first embodiment utilizes a nickel- based catalyst system, the nickel compound may be used in combination with an alcohol.
• the alcohols include monohydric alcohols ⁇ i.e. those including one hydroxyl group), and in other embodiments the alcohols include multihydric alcohols ⁇ i.e. those including two or more hydroxyl groups) including dihydric alcohols, which may be referred to as glycols or dio!s, trihydric alcohols, which may be referred to as glycerols, and polyhydric alcohols.
• the alcohols include primary and/or secondary alcohols.
• Primary and secondary alcohols include those alcohols wherein the a-carbon ⁇ i.e., the carbon adjacent to the carbon including the hydroxyl group) is primary or secondary in certain preferred embodiments, when a nickel-based catalyst system is used, a monohydric alcohol, preferably hexanol is utilized.
• the alcohols may include aliphatic alcohols, which include straight chain or branched alcohols.
• the alcohols may include cyclic alcohols, in other embodiments aromatic alcohols, in other embodiments heterocyclic alcohols, and in other embodiments polycyclic alcohols.
• the alcohols may be saturated, and in other embodiments they may unsaturated.
• useful alcohols include those alcohols that are soluble, or at least partially soluble, within the reaction medium in which the polymerization takes place.
• useful alcohols may be defined by the formula R— OH, where R is a monovalent organic group, and—OH is a hydroxyl group.
• Monovalent organic groups may include hydrocarbyi groups or substituted hydrocarby! groups such as, but not limited to alkyl, cydoalkyl, substituted cydoaSkyS, alkenyl, cycloaikenyl, substituted cydoalkenyl, aryl ally!, .substituted aryl., aralkyl, alkaryl, and a!kyny! groups.
• Substituted groups include those groups where a hydrogen atom of the group is itself replaced by a monovalent organic group.
• hydrocarbyi groups may contain heteroatoms such as, but not limited to, nitrogen, oxygen, silicon, tin, sulfur, boron, and phosphorous atoms.
• the hydrocarbyi group may he devoid of halogen atoms such as a chlorine or bromine atom.
• the monovalent organic group may contain one or more hydroxyl groups attached thereto. As a result, the alcohol may contain two or more hydroxyl groups in other embodiments, the hydrocarbyi groups are devoid of heteroatoms.
• useful alcohols include from 1 to about 40 carbon atoms, in other embodiments from about 2 to about 26 carbon atoms, in other embodiments from about 4 to about 18 carbon atoms, and in other embodiments from about 6 to about 12 carbon atoms.
• Exemplary aliphatic alcohols include methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, si- butanol, t-hutanoi, isobutanol, n-pentanoi, n-hexanol, 2-ethyi bexanoi, n-heptanoi, octanol, decanol, and mixtures thereof.
• Exemplary cyclic alcohols include cydohexanol, methanol, t-butyl cydohexanol, cyclopentanol, cycloheptanol, cydooctanol, and mixtures thereof.
• Exemplary unsaturated alcohols include ally! alcohol, and mixtures thereof.
• Exemplary aromatic alcohols include substituted phenol, phenol, benzyl alcohol, and mixtures thereof.
• Exemplary heterocyclic alcohols include furfuryi alcohol, and mixtures thereof.
• Exemplary polycyclic alcohols include sterols, and mixtures thereof
• the foregoing catalyst compositions may have high catalytic activity for polymerizing conjugated dienes into stereospedfic polydienes over a wide range of catalyst concentrations and catalyst ingredient ratios. It is believed that the catalyst ingredients may interact to form an active catalyst species it is also believed that the optimum concentration for any one catalyst ingredient; may be dependent upon the concentration of the other catalyst ingredients.
• the molar ratio of the (ii) component to the nickel-containing compound can be varied from about 1:1 to about 200:1, in other embodiments from about 3:1 to about 30:1, and in other embodiments from about 5:1 to about 15:1.
• the term molar ratio refers to the equivalent ratio of relevant components of the ingredients, e g s the ratio of equivalents of aluminum atoms on the aluminum-containing compound to equivalents of nickel atoms on the nickel-containing compound in other words, where difunctional or polyfunctional compounds ⁇ e.g., those compounds including two or more carboxylic acid groups) are employed, fewer rnoies of the compound are required to achieve the desired equivalent ratio.
• the molar ratio of the fluorine-containing compound to the nickel-containing compound can be varied from about 7:1 to about 500:1, in other embodiments from about 7 5:1 to about 450:1, and in other embodiments from about 8:1 to about 400:1.
• the molar ratio of the alcohol to the nickel- containing compound can be varied from about 0.4:1 to about 80:1, In other embodiments from about 0.5:1 to about. 75:1, and in other embodiments from about 0.7:1 to about 65:1.
• rnoiar ratio refers to the equivalent ratio of relevant components of the ingredients, e.g., the ratio of equivalents of chiorine atoms on the chiorine- containing compound to equivalents of nickel atoms on the nickei-containing compound.
• the nickel-based catalyst system may be formed by combining or mixing the catalyst ingredients. Although an active catalyst species is believed to result from this combination, the degree of interaction or reaction between the various ingredients or components is not known with any great degree of certainty. Therefore, the term "catalyst system" has been employed to encompass a simple mixture of the ingredients, a complex of the various ingredients that is caused by physical or chemical forces of attraction, a chemical reaction product of the ingredients, or a combination of the foregoing. [00109]
• the nickel-based catalyst system can be formed by using one of the following methods. In one or more embodiments, the nickel-based catalyst system may be formed in situ by adding the catalyst ingredients to a solution containing monomer and solvent or simply bulk monomer, in either a stepwise or simultaneous manner.
• a mixture of the (ii) component, the nickel-containing compound, and the alcohol (when present) is formed. This mixture may be formed within a solvent. This mixture and the fluorine-containing compound may then be added to the monomer to be polymerized.
• the selected catalyst ingredients of the nickel-based catalyst system may be pre-mixed outside the polymerization system at an appropriate temperature, which may be from about -20° C. to about 8(7 C., and the resulting catalyst system may be aged for a period of time ranging from a few seconds to a few days and then added to the monomer.
• the mixture of the (ii) component, nickel- containing compound, and alcohol (when present) is formed in the presence of a small amount of monomer and optionally a solvent. That is, the selected catalyst ingredients may be formed in the presence of a small amount of conjugated diene monomer at an appropriate temperature, which may be from about -2(7 C. to about 8 ⁇ 7 C.
• the amount of conjugated diene monomer that may be used to form this mixture can range from about 1 to about 500 moles per mole, in other embodiments from about 5 to about 250 moles per mole, and in other embodiments from about 10 to about 100 moles per mole of the nickel-containing compound.
• the resulting composition may be aged for a period of time ranging from a few seconds to a few days and then added to the remainder of the conjugated diene monomer that is to be polymerized together with the fluorine-containing compound.
• an organic solvent or carrier may be employed.
• the organic solvent may serve to dissolve the catalyst composition or ingredients, or the solvent may simply serve as a carrier in which the catalyst composition or ingredients may be suspended.
• the organic solvent may be inert to the catalyst composition.
• Useful solvents include hydrocarbon solvents such as aromatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, cycloaliphatic hydroc rbons and/or a mixture of two or more thereof.
• Non-limiting examples of aromatic hydrocarbon solvents include benzene, toluene, xylenes, ethylbenzene, diethylbenzene, mesitylene, and the like.
• Non-limiting examples of aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents include n-pentane, n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane, n-nonane, n-decane, isopentane, isohexanes, isopentanes, isooctanes, 2,2-dimeihylhutane, petroleum ether, kerosene, petroleum spirits, and the like.
• cycloaliphatic hydrocarbon solvents include cyclopentane, cyclohexane, methylcydopentane, methylcydohexane, and the like. Commercial mixtures of the above hydrocarbons may also be used.
• the process of the first embodiment may utilize a cobalt-based catalyst system which comprises: (i) a cobalt compound, (ii) an organo aluminum halide, and (iii) optionally water.
• a cobalt-based catalyst system which comprises: (i) a cobalt compound, (ii) an organo aluminum halide, and (iii) optionally water.
• the particular compounds used for each of (i) and (ii) may vary.
• Suitable cobalt compounds for use in the cobalt-based catalyst system include, but are not limited to, cobalt benzoate, cobalt acetate, cobalt boroacylate, cobalt naphthenate, bis(. alpha.
• the cobalt compound when the process of the first embodiment uses a cobalt-based catalyst system, is a cobalt salt (the cobalt salt includes either two monovalent anions or one divalent anion).
• the anion in a cobalt salt is preferably derived from a C6-C20 organic acid.
• Suitable organo aluminum halide compounds for use in the cobalt-based catalyst system include, but are not limited to, those discussed above for the lanthanide-based catalyst system.
• Suitable examples of organo aluminum halide compounds as discussed above include dihydrocarbyl aluminum halides and hydrocarbyl aluminum dihalides.
• the organo aluminum halide compound comprises a compound having the formula: R’ p iX
• R 3 ⁇ 4 is a TCH alkyl group
• X is a halogen
• p+q is 3.
• the organo aluminum halide compound is selected from the group comprising a diorgano (preferably dialkyl) aluminum chloride compound, an alkyl aluminum sesquichoride compound and mixtures thereof.
• the organo aluminum halide compound is selected from: (I) a mixture of: (a) an alkyl aluminum chloride selected from diethyl aluminum chloride and ethyl aluminum sesquichloride (this may be achieved by a mixture containing approximately equimolar amounts of diethyl aluminum chloride and ethyl aluminum dichloride), and (b) an organoaiuminum compound of formula R ?, AI wherein R is Cs-G ?.
• alkyl group [ .g., trioctyi aluminum, tridecy I aluminum and the like); and (II) an alkyl aluminum chloride wherein the alkyl group has 8 to 12 carbon atoms ⁇ e.g., dloctyi aluminum chloride, didecyi aluminum chloride and the like).
• Embodiment (i) is more preferred in this preferred embodiment, it is especially preferred to use the organoaiuminum compound of formula R ?, A1 is present in an amount of 0 to 1 percent by weight of the mixture of (I) and ⁇ !).
• a particularly preferred organoaiuminum compound of formula R 3 AI comprises tri-octyl aluminum.
• a preferred catalyst system for use in the present process comprises a cohalt salt selected from cohalt octoate and cobalt naphtbenate, and an organo aluminum halide compound selected from: (i) a mixture of diethyl aluminum chloride and one or more of trioctyl aluminum, tridecy) aluminum and tridodecyl aluminum, and (ii) one or more of dioctyl aluminum chloride, didecyi aluminum chloride and didodecyl aluminum chloride.
• a cohalt salt selected from cohalt octoate and cobalt naphtbenate
• an organo aluminum halide compound selected from: (i) a mixture of diethyl aluminum chloride and one or more of trioctyl aluminum, tridecy) aluminum and tridodecyl aluminum, and (ii) one or more of dioctyl aluminum chloride, didecyi aluminum chloride and didodecyl aluminum chloride.
• the ratios of components (i), (ii) and (iii) may vary.
• the molar ratio of cobalt compound to the total organo aluminum halide ⁇ e.g., diethyl aluminum chloride with trioctyl aluminum) is from about 1:15 to about 1:30 (e.g, 1:15, 1:20, 1:25, or 1:30), preferably from about 1:15 to about 1:20 ⁇ e.g., 1:15, 1:16, 1:17, 1:18, 1:19, or 1:20) and the molar ratio of halide ⁇ e.g., chlorine in the diethyl aluminum chloride) to the total metal content in the organo aluminum halide ⁇ e.g., aluminum in the diethyl aluminum chloride plus trioctyi aluminum) is from about 0.7:1 to about.
• the amount of water is from about 0.3 to about 0.8 [e.g., 0.4:1, 0.5:1, 0.6, 0.7, or 0 8), preferably from about 0.5 to about 0.65 (e.g., 0.5, 0 55, 0.6, or 0 65), millimois per mi!limol of the organo aluminum halide used (e.g., alkyl aluminum chloride).
• the process of the first embodiment includes reacting the living end polymer chains with a functionalizing compound of formula (I).
• the modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer includes polymer chains resulting from polymerization of 1,3-butadiene which are bonded to a residue of the functionalizing compound having formula (I), wherein each polymer chain is bonded to the residue of the functionalizing compound through the X group.
• formula (I) is as follows:
• each R 1 is selected from hydrocarbylene of Ci-C2o (e.g., Ci, C2, C3, C4, C5, Ce, C7, Cs, Cg, C10, Cn, C12, C13, C14, C15, Ci6, C17, Cis, Ci9, or C20), preferably Ci-Cio (e.gr., Ci, C2, C3, C 4 , C 5 , C6, C 7 , Cs, Cg, or C10), more preferably C1-C3 (e.g., Ci, C 2 , or C 3 ), wherein each of the foregoing optionally contain one unsaturated carbon- carbon bond, R' is selected from alkoxy of C 1 -C 20 (e.g., Ci, C 2 , C 3 , C 4 , C 5 , C 6
• Formula (I) can also be represented as: X-R 1 -Si(R')2(R'') ⁇
• the functionalizing compound of formula (I) has a structure wherein R 1 , R' and R" are all selected from the groups described as preferred.
• the functionalizing compound of formula (I) has a structure wherein R 1 , R' and R” are all selected from the groups described as preferred. Since the functionalizing compound of formula (I) has two alkoxy groups on the Si, the compound can be referred to a dialkoxysilane (more specifically an alkyldialkoxysilane or aryldialkoxysilane due to the presence of the R” group).
• R 1 is a hydrocarbylene group is meant that that it is bonded to two other constituents (i.e., the X group and the Si).
• R 1 is aliphatic and unsaturated.
• R 1 is aliphatic and can include one unsaturated carbon-carbon bond.
• the carbons in the R 1 group can be positioned in a linear configuration or may be branched.
• X is a cyano group or an epoxy group, more preferably an epoxy group.
• X when X is a cyano group, its particular structure may vary, such as is discussed in more detail below.
• when X is an epoxy group it preferably has 2-4 carbon atoms (e.g., 2, 3, or 4 carbon atoms) in the epoxy ring.
• the X of the functionalizing compound of formula (I) is preferably selected from an epoxy group, more preferably the epoxy group is a glycidoxy group.
• Suitable compounds for use as the functionalizing compound of formula (I) wherein X is an epoxy group include, but are not limited to, ⁇ 2-glycidoxyethyi)methyidimethoxysiiane, (2- giycidoxyet.hyl)methyidiethoxysilane, (2-glycidoxye ⁇ hy!ethyidime ⁇ .hoxysi!ane, (2- giycidoxyethy!ethy!diethoxysi!ane, ⁇ 3-giycidoxypropyl)methyidimethoxysilane, (3- glycidoxypropy!methy!diethoxysi!ane, ⁇ 3-g!ycidoxypropy!ethy!dimethoxysilane, (3- giycidoxypropy!)ethy!dimethoxysilane, (3- giycidoxypropy!)ethy!dimethoxysilane, (3
• the X of the functionalizing compound of formula (I) (or the residue resulting therefrom) is preferably selected from a cyano group.
• suitable cyano groups that may be used as X in formula (I) according to certain embodiments of the first-third embodiments include compounds where the cyano group and the Si are separated by a hydrocarbylene group having 1-10 carbons, preferably 3-8 carbons.
• suitable cyano groups that may be used as X in formula (I) according to certain embodiments of the first-third embodiments include 2-cyanoethylmethyldiethoxysilane and 3-cyanopropylmethyldiethoxysilane.
• various compounds may be suitable as the functionalizing compound.
• Such compounds include, but are not limited to, 3-methacrySoyloxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane, 3- metbacryioyioxypropyimethyidirnethoxysiiane, 3-methacryioyloxypropylethyldimethoxysilane, 3-methacryioy!oxypropy!ethy!diethoxysiiane, and 3- methacryloy!oxypropyimethy!diisopropoxysi!ane.
• 3- rnothacryloyioxypropy!methyidimethoxysi!ane and 3- methacryloy!oxypropyimethyidiethoxysiiane are preferred
• X of the functionalizing compound of formula (I) is selected from an acid anhydride group
• various compounds may be suitable as the functionalizing compound.
• suitable such compounds include hydrocarbyloxysilane compounds having a carboxylic anhydride residue.
• Particular examples of such compounds include, but are not limited to, 3- ⁇ methy!diethoxysilyi)propy!suecinic anhydride and 3- ⁇ met.hyldimethoxysiiyi)propylsuccinic anhydride.
• polymer chains (which result from polymerization of 1,3-butadiene using one of the defined catalyst systems) are bonded to a functionalizing compound through the X group. Since the structure of the functionalizing compound will change somewhat upon bonding of a polymer chain to the X group, the moiety to which the polymer chain is bonded is described as a residue of a functionalizing compound. Generally, one polymer chain will bond to the residue of the functionalizing compound through the X group of each molecule of functionalizing compound. However, depending upon the structure of the X group, it is possible for more than one polymer chain to bond to the residue of the functionalizing compound.
• the location upon the functionalizing compound where the polymer chain bonds according to the process of the first embodiment can be contrasted with the location upon the functionalizing compound where the polymer chain would bond if an anionic initiator (e.g., n-butyl lithium) was used to polymerize 1,3-butadiene. More specifically, if an anionic initiator was used, polymer chains may bond to the functionalizing compound via an alkoxy group on the Si (replacing the OR of an OR alkoxy group and bonding directly to the Si) as well as through the X group.
• an anionic initiator e.g., n-butyl lithium
• the polymer chain bonds (only) to the functionalizing compound through the X group.
• the X of the functionalizing compound is an epoxy group
• a polymer chain would bond to one of the carbons alpha to the oxygen of the epoxy ring. More specifically, according to such a bonding reaction, one polymer chain would bond to one of the carbon atoms alpha to the oxygen of the epoxy ring and the bonding would cause ring opening with conversion of the oxygen atom to OH.
• the amount of functionalizing compound of formula (I) that is used to react with the living end polymer chains (i.e., according to the process of the first embodiment) or that is present in the modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer as a residue (i.e., according to the second and third embodiments) may vary.
• the functionalizing compound is used in a molar ratio of 100:1 to 0.5:1 (e.g., 100:1, 90:1, 80:1, 70:1, 60:1, 50:1, 40:1, 30:1, 20:1, 10:1, 8:1, 6:1, 4:1, 2:1, 1:1, 0.5:1), preferably 50:1 to 1:1 (e.g., 50:1, 40:1, 30:1, 20:1, 10:1, 8:1, 6:1, 4:1, 2:1, or 1:1), more preferably 30:1 to 2:1 (e.g., 30:1, 25:1, 20:1, 15:1, 10:1, 8:1, 6:1, 4:1, or 2:1), the molar ratio based upon the moles of functionalizing compound to moles of primary metal in the catalyst system (i.e., moles of lanthanide for a lanthanide-based catalyst system, moles of nickel for a nickel-based catalyst system, or moles of cobalt for a cobalt-based catalyst system).
• the molar ratio based upon the moles of functionalizing compound
• the process for preparing the modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer further comprises (also includes) a step of reacting the modified high-cis polybutadiene (from step C) with a stabilizing agent of formula (II) as follows:
• R 2 nSi(OR 3 ) 4 -n wherein R 2 is selected from the group consisting of Ci to C20 alkyl, C 4 to C10 cycloalkyl, or C5 to C20 aromatic groups; preferably from the group consisting of Ci to C10 alkyl, C 4 to C 6 cycloalkyl, or C 6 to Ci 4 aromatic groups; and more preferably from Ci to C 6 alkyl, C 4 to C 6 cycloalkyl, or C 6 aromatic groups, wherein R 3 may be the same as or different from R 2 and is selected from Ci to C20 alkyl, C 4 to C10 cycloalkyl, or C5 to C20 aromatic groups; preferably from the group consisting of Ci to C10 alkyl, C 4 to C 6 cycloalkyl, or C 6 to Ci 4 aromatic groups; and more preferably from Ci to C 6 alkyl, C 4 to C 6 cycloalkyl, or C 6 aromatic groups, and n is an integer of 1 to 3, preferably 2 to 3,
• the stabilizing agent of formula (II) has R 2 , R 3 and n selected from the foregoing preferred groups or values. In other embodiments of the process of the first embodiment, the stabilizing agent of formula (II) has R 2 , R 3 and n selected from the foregoing more preferred groups or values. In particularly preferred embodiments of the process of the first embodiment, the stabilizing agent trialkoxy(alkyl)silane (i.e., n is 3 and R 2 is alkyl, as described above), with octyl triethoxy silane being especially preferred.
• the stabilizing agent is added after (C) but prior to (D), i.e., prior to isolating the modified high-cis polybutadiene.
• the use of a stabilizing agent may be beneficial in producing a modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer which produces improved snow or ice performance in a tire tread which incorporates the modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer.
• snow or ice performance of a rubber composition upon its incorporation into a tire tread can be predicted by measuring the value of G' at -20 °C for the rubber composition, with higher values indicating preferred performance.
• no stabilizing agent is utilized in the process. Avoiding the use of a stabilizing agent can lead to an overall cost savings in production of the modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer due the use of one less raw material and elimination of a step in the overall process.
• the amount that is utilized in the process may vary.
• the stabilizing agent is used in a molar ratio of 0.01:1 to 10:1 (e.g., 0.01:1, 0.05:1, 0.1:1, 0.5:1, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:1, 9:1, or 10:1), preferably 0.1:1 to 5:1 (e.g., 0.1:1, 0.5:1, 1:1, 1.5:1, 2:1, 2.5:1, 3:1, 3.5:1, 4:1, 4.5:1, or 5:1), more preferably 0.5:1 to 2:1 (e.g., 0.5:1, 0.6:1, 0.7:1, 0.8:1, 0.9:1, 1:1, 1.1:1, 1.2:1, 1.3:1, 1.4:1, 1.5:1, 1.6:1, 1.7:1, 1.8:1, 1.9:1, or 2:1), the molar ratio based upon the moles of stabilizing agent
• a quenching agent of formula (III) is used in combination with the stabilizing agent of formula (II).
• formula (III) for the quenching agent is as follows:
• R 4 is selected from H and the group consisting of Ci to Cis alkyl, preferably from H and the group consisting of Ci to Cio alkyl, more preferably from the group consisting of C2 to C7 alkyl.
• the quenching agent comprises 2- ethylhexanoic acid or acetic acid, more preferably 2-ethylhexanoic acid; in certain such embodiments, the quenching agent consists of 2-ethylhexanoic acid.
• the amount that is utilized in the process may vary.
• the quenching agent is used in a molar ratio 0.1:1 to 10:1 (e.g., 0.1:1, 0.5:1, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, 7:1, 8:1, 9:1 or 10:1), preferably 0.1:1 to 5:1 (e.g., 0.1:1, 0.5:1, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, or 5:1), more preferably 0.5:1 to 2:1 (e.g., 0.5:1, 1:1, 1.5:1, or 2:1), the molar ratio based upon the moles of quenching agent:moles of stabilizing agent of formula (II).
• the process of the first embodiment results in a modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer having a cis 1,4-bond content of at least 92%, preferably at least 94%, an initial Mooney viscosity ML I +4 at 100 °C of 20-100, preferably 30-80, and an aged Mooney viscosity ML I +4 at 100 °C of 20-100, preferably 30-80.
• the modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer of the second embodiment has a cis 1,4- bond content of at least 92%, preferably at least 94%, an initial Mooney viscosity ML I +4 at 100 °C of 20-100, preferably 30-80, and an aged Mooney viscosity ML I +4 at 100 °C of 20-100, preferably 30-80.
• the modified high cis polydiene polymer of the third embodiment can also be understood as having a cis 1,4-bond content of at least 92%, preferably at least 94%, an initial Mooney viscosity MLI+4 at 100 °C of 20-100, preferably 30-80, and an aged Mooney viscosity MLI+4 at 100 °C of 20-100, preferably 30-80.
• the cis 1,4-bond content is at least 92% is meant that it is 92% or higher (e.g., 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 98.5%, 99% or higher) which should be understood to include ranges such as 92-99%, 92-98%, 92-97%, 92-96%, 92-95%, etc.
• the cis 1,4-bond content of the modified high cis polybutadiene polymer is at least 94%.
• the cis 1,4-bond content is at least 94% is meant that it is 94% or higher (e.g., 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 98.5%, 99% or higher) which should be understood to include ranges such as 94-99%, 94-98%, 94-97%, 94-96%, 94-95%, etc.
• the cis 1,4-bond contents referred to herein are determined by FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy). In particular, a polymer sample is dissolved in CS2 and then subjected to FTIR.
• the initial Mooney viscosity MLI+4 at 100 °C refers to a Mooney viscosity measurement that is taken upon the final modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer (the polymer has been isolated and dried, e.g., by steam distillation) before it is heat aged (as described below).
• the initial Mooney viscosity MLI+4 at 100 °C is 20-100 is meant that it may vary from 20-100 (e.g., 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 100).
• the initial Mooney viscosity MLI+4 at 100 °C is from 30 to 80 (e.g., 30, 32, 34, 35, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 45, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 55, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 65, 68, 70, 72, 74, 75, 76, 78, or 80).
• the aged Mooney viscosity MLI+4 at 100 °C refers to a Mooney viscosity measurement that is taken upon a sample of the high-cis polybutadiene polymer that has been heat aged. More specifically, the polymer sample has been aged at 100 °C for at least 2 days (more preferably 2 days).
• the aged Mooney viscosity of the modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer will be somewhat higher than the initial viscosity of the polymer.
• the final modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer in addition to meeting the aged Mooney viscosity values discussed above, also has an aged Mooney viscosity MLI+4 at 100 °C that is no more than 30% higher than the initial Mooney viscosity (e.g., no more than 30% higher, no more than 25% higher, no more than 20% higher, no more than 15% higher, no more than 10% higher, no more than 5% higher, or less) and is no more than 120 (e.g., 120, 110, 100, 90, 80, 70, 60, 50, or less).
• the final modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer has an aged Mooney viscosity MLI+4 at 100 °C that is no more than 20% higher than the initial Mooney viscosity (e.g., no more than 20% higher, no more than 18% higher, no more than 16% higher, no more than 15% higher, no more than 14% higher, no more than 12% higher, no more than 10% higher, no more than 8% higher, no more than 6% higher, no more than 5% higher, no more than 4% higher, or less) and is no more than 105 (e.g., 105, 100, 95, 90, 85, 80, 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, or less).
• the increase in Mooney viscosity would be 10%.
• the modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer may vary.
• the polymer may have various Mw, Mn and Mw/Mn values.
• the modified high- cis polybutadiene polymer meets at least one of the following: (a) has a Mw of 150,000 to 2,000,000 grams/mole (e.g., 150,000; 200,000; 250,000; 300,000; 350,000; 400,000; 450,000; 500,000; 600,000; 700,000; 800,000; 900,000; 1,000,000; 1,100,000; 1,200,000; 1,300,000; 1,400,000; 1,500,000; 1,600,000; 1,700,000; 1,800,000; 1,900,000; or 2,000,000 grams/mole), preferably 90,000 to 1,000,000 grams/mole (e.g., 90,000; 150,000; 200,000; 250,000; 300,000; 350,000; 400,000; 450,000; 500,000; 600,000
• the modified high cis polybutadiene polymer meets each of (a)-(d). In certain embodiments of the first-third embodiments, the modified high cis polybutadiene polymer satisfies the preferred ranges of each of (a)-(d). In certain embodiments of the first-third embodiments, the modified high cis polybutadiene polymer satisfies the more preferred ranges of each of (a)-(d).
• Mn indicates the number average molecular weight in grams/mole (by GPC)
• Mw indicates the weight average molecular weight in grams/mole (by GPC)
• Mw/Mn the molecular weight dispersion or polydispersity of the polymer. Generally, the Mn and Mw of these polymers may be determined by using gel permeation chromatography (GPC) calibrated with polystyrene standards.
• the process of the first embodiment may result in (and the polymer of the second embodiment may be and the rubber composition of the third embodiment may utilize a polymer which is) a modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer product which contains a minor portion of high molecular weight polymer material.
• a polymer which is a modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer product which contains a minor portion of high molecular weight polymer material.
• high molecular weight material may be filtered out, if desired, prior to use of the polymer (e.g., in a rubber composition) or sale of the polymer.
• the amount of the high molecular weight material will generally be less than about 10%, sometimes less than about 5% by weight.
• the Mw, Mn and Mw/Mn values that are provided in the preceding paragraph refer to values that can be determined via GPC upon a sample of material made by a process of the first embodiment and/or according to the second or third embodiments and encompass the Mw and Mn values for high molecular weight material that may be filtered out.
• the Mw and Mn values provided for the working Examples are measured by GPC upon samples that have been filtered to remove high molecular weight material and gel in order to avoid potential damage to the GPC.
• the modified high-cis polybutadiene produced according to the process of the first embodiment and the modified high-cis polybutadiene of the second embodiment are particularly useful in rubber compositions used for tire components.
• a tire component comprising a rubber composition including the high-cis modified polybutadiene of the second embodiment is provided or the high-cis modified polybutadiene produced by the process of the first embodiment is provided.
• the rubber composition of the tire component comprises (a) an elastomer component comprising: (i) 10- 100 phr, preferably 20-80 phr of a high-cis modified polybutadiene polymer according to second embodiment or the high-cis modified polybutadiene polymer resulting from the process of the first embodiment, and (ii) 0-90 phr of at least one additional polymer selected from the group consisting of unmodified polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene, natural rubber, polyisoprene; (b) a reinforcing filler component comprising: (i) 10-200 phr, preferably 30-200 phr, more preferably 50-150 phr of reinforcing silica filler, and (ii) 0-50 phr of reinforcing carbon black filler, wherein the reinforcing carbon black filler is present in an amount of no more than 20% of the weight of reinforcing
• the tire component is a tire tread and, thus, the rubber composition can be alternative described as a tire tread rubber composition or as a rubber composition for use in a tire tread.
• the amount of the modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer (a)(i) that is present in the rubber composition may vary from 10-100 phr (e.g., 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95 or 100 phr).
• the amount of the modified high-cis polybutadiene polymer (a)(i) that is present in the rubber composition is 20-80 phr (e.g., 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, or 80 phr). Amounts of (a)(i) within the foregoing range may also be utilized in the rubber composition of the third embodiment, e.g., 40-80 phr, 50-80 phr, 40-70 phr, 40-60 phr, etc.
• the rubber composition can include 0-90 phr (e.g., 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, or 90 phr) of at least one additional polymer selected from the group consisting of unmodified polybutadiene, styrene-butadiene rubber, natural rubber, polyisoprene, and combinations thereof.
• the amount of the additional polymer (b)(ii) is 20-80 phr (e.g., 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, or 80 phr).
• Amounts of (b)(ii) within the foregoing range may also be utilized in the rubber composition of the third embodiment, e.g., 20-60, 20-50, 30-60, 40-60, etc.
• the rubber composition includes one or more additional rubbers, i.e., in addition to (a) and (b).
• the entire 100 phr of the elastomer component for the rubber composition is comprised of a combination of (a)(i) and (a)(ii). In other words, in such embodiments, no other rubber is present other than the rubbers of (a)(i) and (a)(ii).
• the rubber composition contains no polyisoprene (i.e., 0 phr of polyisoprene). In certain embodiments of the third embodiment, the rubber composition contains no polybutadiene other a modified high cis polybutadiene according to (a)(i). In certain embodiments of the third embodiment, the rubber composition contains no natural rubber and no polyisoprene.
• the rubber composition also includes as a filler component 10-200 phr of reinforcing silica filler (e.g., 10, 15,
• the silica filler can be regarded as always being present whereas the carbon black filler is optionally present.
• the rubber composition includes reinforcing silica filler in an amount of 50-150 phr (e.g., 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145, or 150 phr).
• the rubber composition includes reinforcing carbon black filler in an amount of 1-20 phr (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, or 20 phr), more preferably 1-10 phr (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 phr).
• the amount of reinforcing silica filler and amount of reinforcing carbon black filler are both within the foregoing preferred amounts.
• the reinforcing carbon black filler is present in an amount of no more than 20% of the weight of the reinforcing silica filler (e.g., if 100 phr of silica filler were used then the amount of reinforcing carbon black filler would be 20 phr or less), preferably no more than 10% of the weight of reinforcing silica filler.
• the term "reinforcing filler” is used to refer to a particulate material that has a nitrogen absorption specific surface area (IShSA) of more than about 100 m 2 /g, and in certain instances more than 100 m 2 /g, more than about 125 m 2 /g, more than 125 m 2 /g, or even more than about 150 m 2 /g or more than 150 m 2 /g.
• IShSA nitrogen absorption specific surface area
• the traditional use of the term “reinforcing filler” can also be used to refer to a particulate material that has a particle size of about 10 nm to about 50 nm (including 10 nm to 50 nm).
• si-reinforcing filler is used to refer to a filler that is intermediary in either particle size, surface area (IShSA), or both, to a non-reinforcing filler (as discussed below) and a reinforcing filler.
• the term "reinforcing filler” is used to refer to a particulate material that has a nitrogen absorption specific surface area (IShSA) of about 20 m 2 /g or greater, including 20 m 2 /g or greater, more than about 50 m 2 /g, more than 50 m 2 /g, more than about 100 m 2 /g, more than 100 m 2 /g , more than about 125 m 2 /g, and more than 125 m 2 /g.
• IShSA nitrogen absorption specific surface area
• the term "reinforcing filler” is used to refer to a particulate material that has a particle size of about 10 nm up to about 1000 nm, including 10 nm to 1000 nm, about 10 nm up to about 50 nm and 10 nm to 50 nm.
• suitable carbon blacks for use as a reinforcing filler in the rubber composition of the third embodiment include any of the commonly available, commercially-produced carbon blacks, including those having a surface area of at least about 20 m 2 /g (including at least 20 m 2 /g) and, more preferably, at least about 35 m 2 /g up to about 200 m 2 /g or higher (including 35 m 2 /g up to 200 m 2 /g).
• Surface area values used herein for carbon blacks are determined by ASTM D-1765 using the cetyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide (CTAB) technique.
• CTAB cetyltrimethyl-ammonium bromide
• useful carbon blacks are furnace black, channel blacks, and lamp blacks. More specifically, examples of useful carbon blacks include super abrasion furnace (SAF) blacks, high abrasion furnace (HAF) blacks, fast extrusion furnace (FEF) blacks, fine furnace (FF) blacks, intermediate super abrasion furnace (ISAF) blacks, semi-reinforcing furnace (SRF) blacks, medium processing channel blacks, hard processing channel blacks and conducting channel blacks.
• SAF super abrasion furnace
• HAF high abrasion furnace
• FEF fast extrusion furnace
• FF fine furnace
• ISRF intermediate super abrasion furnace
• SRF semi-reinforcing furnace
• the rubber composition includes a mixture of two or more of the foregoing blacks.
• a carbon black filler if a carbon black filler is present it consists of only one type (or grade) of reinforcing carbon black.
• Typical suitable carbon blacks for use in certain embodiments of the third embodiment are N-110, N-220, N-339, N-330, N-351, N-550, and N- 660, as designated by ASTM D-1765-82a.
• the carbon blacks utilized can be in pelletized form or an unpelletized flocculent mass. Preferably, for more uniform mixing, unpelletized carbon black is preferred.
• the particular type of reinforcing silica filler utilized in the tire rubber composition of the third embodiment may vary.
• Non-limiting examples of reinforcing silica fillers suitable for use in certain embodiments of the third embodiment include, but are not limited to, precipitated amorphous silica, wet silica (hydrated silicic acid), dry silica (anhydrous silicic acid), fumed silica, calcium silicate and the like.
• suitable reinforcing silica fillers for use in certain embodiments of the third embodiment include, but are not limited to, aluminum silicate, magnesium silicate (Mg2Si04, MgSi03 etc.), magnesium calcium silicate (CaMgSiO ⁇ , calcium silicate (Ca2Si04 etc.), aluminum silicate (AI2S1O5, AI4.BSiO4.5H2O etc.), aluminum calcium silicate (Al203.Ca02Si02, etc.), and the like.
• magnesium silicate Mg2Si04, MgSi03 etc.
• CaMgSiO ⁇ magnesium calcium silicate
• Ca2Si04 etc. magnesium calcium silicate
• AI2S1O5, AI4.BSiO4.5H2O etc. aluminum calcium silicate
• Al203.Ca02Si02, etc. aluminum calcium silicate
• precipitated amorphous wet-process hydrated silica fillers are preferred.
• Such reinforcing silica fillers are produced by a chemical reaction in water, from which they are precipitated as ultrafine, spherical particles, with primary particles strongly associated into aggregates, which in turn combine less strongly into agglomerates.
• the surface area, as measured by the BET method, is a preferred measurement for characterizing the reinforcing character of different reinforcing silica fillers.
• the rubber composition comprises a reinforcing silica filler having a surface area (as measured by the BET method) of 100 m 2 /g to 400 m 2 /g (e.g., 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, 220, 230, 240, 250, 260, 270, 280, 290, 300, 310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360, 370, 380, 390, or 400 m 2 /g), 150 m 2 /g to 350 m 2 /g, 200 m 2 /g to 300 m 2 /g, or 150 m 2 /g to 250 m 2 /g.
• a reinforcing silica filler having a surface area (as measured by the BET method) of 100 m 2 /g to 400 m 2 /g (e.g., 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170,
• the rubber composition comprises reinforcing silica filler having a pH of 5.5 to 8 (e.g., 5.5, 5.7, 5.9, 6.1, 6.3, 6.5, 6.7, 6.9, 7.1, 7.3, 7.5, 7.7, 7.9, or 8), 6 to 8 (e.g., 6, 6.2, 6.4, 6.6, 6.8, 7, 7.2, 7.4, 7.6, 7.8, or 8), 6 to 7.5, 6.5 to 8, 6.5 to 7.5, or 5.5 to 6.8.
• 5.5 to 8 e.g., 5.5, 5.7, 5.9, 6.1, 6.3, 6.5, 6.7, 6.9, 7.1, 7.3, 7.5, 7.7, 7.9, or 8
• 6 to 8 e.g., 6, 6.2, 6.4, 6.6, 6.8, 7, 7.2, 7.4, 7.6, 7.8, or 8
• Some of the commercially available reinforcing silica fillers which can be used in certain embodiments of the third embodiment include, but are not limited to, Hi-Sil ® EZ120G, Hi-Sil ® EZ120G-D, Hi-Sil ® 134G, Hi-Sil ® EZ 160G, Hi-Sil ® EZ 160G-D, Hi-Si I ® 190, Hi-Sil ® 190G-D, Hi-Sil ® EZ 200G, Hi-Sil ® EZ 200G-D, Hi-Sil ® 210, Hi-Sil ® 233, Hi-Sil ® 243LD, Hi-Sil ® 255CG-D, Hi-Sil ® 315-D, Hi-Sil ® 315G-D, Hi-Sil ® HDP 320G and the like, produced by PPG Industries (Pittsburgh, Pa.) As well, a number of useful commercial grades of different reinforcing silica fillers are
• one or more than one silica coupling agent may also (optionally) be utilized.
• Silica coupling agents are useful in preventing or reducing aggregation of the silica filler in rubber compositions. Aggregates of the silica filler particles are believed to increase the viscosity of a rubber composition, and, therefore, preventing this aggregation reduces the viscosity and improves the processability and blending of the rubber composition.
• any conventional type of silica coupling agent can be used, such as those having a silane and a constituent component or moiety that can react with a polymer, particularly a vulcanizable polymer.
• the silica coupling agent acts as a connecting bridge between silica and the polymer.
• Suitable silica coupling agents for use in certain embodiments of the third embodiment include those containing groups such as alkyl alkoxy, mercapto, blocked mercapto, sulfide-containing (e.g., monosulfide-based alkoxy-containing, disulfide-based alkoxy-containing, tetrasulfide-based alkoxy-containing), amino, vinyl, epoxy, and combinations thereof.
• the silica coupling agent can be added to the rubber composition in the form of a pre-treated silica; a pre-treated silica has been pre-surface treated with a silane prior to being added to the rubber composition.
• a pre-treated silica can allow for two ingredients (i.e., silica and a silica coupling agent) to be added in one ingredient, which generally tends to make rubber compounding easier.
• the amount used may vary.
• the rubber composition does not contain any silica coupling agent.
• the silica coupling agent is present in an amount sufficient to provide a ratio of the total amount of silica coupling agent to silica filler of 0.1:100 to 1:5 (i.e., 0.1 to 20 parts by weight per 100 parts of silica), 1:100 to 1:10, 1:100 to 1:20, and 1:100 to 1:25 as well as about 1:100 to about 0:100 and 1:100 to 0:100.
• the tire rubber composition comprises a silica coupling agent in an amount of 0.1 to 15 phr (e.g., 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 phr), 0.1 to 12 phr, 0.1 to 10 phr, 0.1 to 5 phr, 1 to 15 phr (e.g., 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 phr), 1 to 10 phr (e.g., 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5, 9, 9.5, or 10 phr), 1 to 5 phr, or 1 to 3 phr.
• a silica coupling agent in an amount of 0.1 to 15 phr (e.g., 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 15 phr), 0.1 to 12 phr,
• the rubber composition include a plasticizing component comprising 0-50 phr (e.g., 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, or 50 phr) of at least one plasticizing oil and 0-60 phr (e.g., 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, or 60 phr) of at least one hydrocarbon resin having a Tg of at least 30 °C.
• a plasticizing component includes 0-30 phr of plasticizing oil and 5-60 phr of hydrocarbon resin.
• the plasticizing component includes 0-15 phr of plasticizing oil and 5-50 phr of hydrocarbon resin.
• plasticizing oil is present in an amount of at least 1 phr (e.g., 1-50 phr, 1-30 phr, 1-15 phr, 1-10 phr, 1-5 phr, etc.).
• plasticizing oils may be utilized, including, but not limited to aromatic, naphthenic, and low PCA oils.
• the plasticizing oil is a liquid (pourable) at 25 °C.
• Suitable low PCA oils include those having a polycyclic aromatic content of less than 3 percent by weight as determined by the IP346 method. Procedures for the IP346 method may be found in Standard Methods for Analysis & Testing of Petroleum and Related Products and British Standard 2000 Parts, 2003, 62nd edition, published by the Institute of Petroleum, United Kingdom.
• Suitable low PCA oils include mild extraction solvates (MES), treated distillate aromatic extracts (TDAE), TRAE, and heavy naphthenics.
• MES oils are available commercially as CATENEX SNR from SHELL, PROREX 15, and FLEXON 683 from EXXONMOBIL, VIVATEC 200 from BP, PLAXOLENE MS from TOTAL FINA ELF, TUDALEN 4160/4225 from DAHLEKE, MES-H from REPSOL, MES from Z8, and OLIO MES S201 from AGIP.
• Suitable TDAE oils are available as TYREX 20 from EXXONMOBIL, VIVATEC 500, VIVATEC 180, and ENERTHENE 1849 from BP, and EXTENSOIL 1996 from REPSOL.
• Suitable heavy naphthenic oils are available as SHELLFLEX 794, ERGON BLACK OIL, ERGON H2000, CROSS C2000, CROSS C2400, and SAN JOAQUIN 2000L.
• Suitable low PCA oils also include various plant-sourced oils such as can be harvested from vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
• Non-limiting examples include, but are not limited to, soy or soybean oil, sunflower oil (including high oleic sunflower oil having an oleic acid content of at least 60%, at least 70% or at least 80%), safflower oil, corn oil, linseed oil, cotton seed oil, rapeseed oil, cashew oil, sesame oil, camellia oil, jojoba oil, macadamia nut oil, coconut oil, and palm oil.
• the tire rubber composition includes only a limited amount of oil such as less than 10 phr (e.g., 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, or 0 phr), less than 5 phr, 1-5 phr, or even 0 phr.
• plasticizing resins refers to a compound that is solid at room temperature (23 °C) and is miscible in the rubber composition at the amount used which is usually at least 5 phr.
• the plasticizing resin will act as a diluting agent and can be contrasted with tackifying resins which are generally immiscible and may migrate to the surface of a rubber composition providing tack.
• a plasticizing resin comprises a hydrocarbon resin and may be aliphatic type, aromatic type or aliphatic/aromatic type depending on the monomers contained therein.
• suitable plasticizing resins for use in the rubber compositions of the third embodiment include, but are not limited to, cyclopentadiene (abbreviated to CPD) or dicyclopentadiene (abbreviated to DCPD) homopolymer or copolymer resins, terpene homopolymer or copolymer resins and C5 fraction homopolymer or copolymer resins.
• CPD cyclopentadiene
• DCPD dicyclopentadiene
• terpene homopolymer or copolymer resins terpene homopolymer or copolymer resins
• C5 fraction homopolymer or copolymer resins Such resins may be used, for example, individually or in combination.
• Tg of the resin can be measured by DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) according to ASTM D3418 (1999).
• Mw, Mn and PI of the resin may be determined by size exclusion chromatography (SEC), using THF, 35 °C; concentration 1 g/1; flow rate 1 milliliters /min; solution filtered through a filter with a porosity of 0.45 pm before injection; Moore calibration with polystyrene standards; set of 3 "Waters” columns in series (“Styragel” HR4E, HR1 and HR0.5); detection by differential refractometer (“Waters 2410”) and its associated operating software (“Waters Empower”).
• SEC size exclusion chromatography
• the rubber composition includes a cure package.
• a cure package will include at least one of: a vulcanizing agent; a vulcanizing accelerator; a vulcanizing activator (e.g., zinc oxide, stearic acid, and the like); a vulcanizing inhibitor; and an anti-scorching agent.
• the cure package includes at least one vulcanizing agent, at least one vulcanizing accelerator, at least one vulcanizing activator and optionally a vulcanizing inhibitor and/or an anti-scorching agent.
• Vulcanizing accelerators and vulcanizing activators act as catalysts for the vulcanization agent.
• Various vulcanizing inhibitors and anti-scorching agents are known in the art and can be selected by one skilled in the art based on the vulcanizate properties desired.
• Examples of suitable types of vulcanizing agents for use in certain embodiments of the third embodiment include but are not limited to, sulfur or peroxide-based curing components.
• Examples of specific suitable sulfur vulcanizing agents include "rubbermaker's" soluble sulfur; sulfur donating curing agents, such as an amine disulfide, polymeric polysulfide, or sulfur olefin adducts; and insoluble polymeric sulfur.
• the sulfur vulcanizing agent is soluble sulfur or a mixture of soluble and insoluble polymeric sulfur.
• the vulcanizing agents may be used in an amount ranging from 0.1 to 10 phr, including from 1 to 7.5 phr, including from 1 to 5 phr, and preferably from 1 to 3.5 phr.
• Vulcanizing accelerators are used to control the time and/or temperature required for vulcanization and to improve properties of the vulcanizate.
• suitable vulcanizing accelerators include, but are not limited to, thiazole vulcanization accelerators, such as 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 2,2'-dithiobis(benzothiazole) (MBTS), N-cyclohexyl-2- benzothiazole-sulfenamide (CBS), N-tert-butyl-2-benzothiazole-sulfenamide (TBBS), and the like; guanidine vulcanization accelerators, such as diphenyl guanidine (DPG) and the like; thiuram vulcanizing accelerators; carbamate vulcanizing accelerators; and the like.
• the amount of the vulcanization accelerator used ranges from 0.1 to 10 phr, preferably 0.5 to 5 phr.
• Vulcanizing activators are additives used to support vulcanization.
• Generally vulcanizing activators include both an inorganic and organic component.
• Zinc oxide is the most widely used inorganic vulcanization activator.
• Various organic vulcanization activators are commonly used including stearic acid, palmitic acid, lauric acid, and zinc salts of each of the foregoing.
• the amount of vulcanization activator used ranges from 0.1 to 6 phr (e.g., 0.1, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, or 6 phr), preferably 0.5 to 4 phr (e.g., 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3 3.5, or 4 phr).
• Vulcanization inhibitors are used to control the vulcanization process and generally retard or inhibit vulcanization until the desired time and/or temperature is reached.
• Common vulcanization inhibitors include, but are not limited to, PVI (cyclohexylthiophthalmide) from Santogard.
• PVI cyclohexylthiophthalmide
• the amount of vulcanization inhibitor used is 0.1 to 3 phr, preferably 0.5 to 2 phr.
• Various other ingredients that may optionally be added to the tire rubber compositions of the third embodiment disclosed herein include waxes, processing aids, tackifying resins, reinforcing resins, and peptizers, and antioxidants.
• Rubber compositions according to the third embodiment disclosed herein may generally be formed by mixing together the ingredients for the rubber composition (as disclosed above) by methods known in the art, such as, for example, by kneading the ingredients together in a Banbury mixer or on a milled roll. These methods generally include at least one non-productive master-batch mixing stage and a final productive mixing stage.
• non productive master-batch stage is known to those of skill in the art and generally understood to be a mixing stage where no vulcanizing agents or vulcanization accelerators are added.
• the term final productive mixing stage is also known to those of skill in the art and generally understood to be the mixing stage where the vulcanizing agents and vulcanization accelerators are added into the rubber composition.
• one non productive master-batch mixing stage may be used in preparing the rubber composition. In certain embodiments of the third embodiment, more than one non-productive master-batch mixing stage is used. In certain embodiments of the third embodiment where silica and silica coupler is utilized, more than one non-productive master-batch mixing stage is used and at least a portion of the silica filler is added in a second non-productive master-batch mixing stage (also described as a re-mill stage); in certain such embodiments, all silica coupling agent is added only in the second non-productive master-batch mixing stage (along with at least a portion of the silica filler) and no silica coupling agent is added in an initial non-productive master-batch mixing stage.
• the master-batch mixing stage includes at least one of tandem mixing or intermeshing mixing.
• Tandem mixing can be understood as including the use of a mixer with two mixing chambers with each chamber having a set of mixing rotors; generally, the two mixing chambers are stacked together with the upper mixing being the primary mixer and the lower mixer accepting a batch from the upper or primary mixer.
• the primary mixer utilizes intermeshing rotors and in other embodiments the primary mixer utilizes tangential rotors.
• the lower mixer utilizes intermeshing rotors.
• Intermeshing mixing can be understood as including the use of a mixer with intermeshing rotors.
• Intermeshing rotors refers to a set of rotors where the major diameter of one rotor in a set interacts with the minor diameter of the opposing rotor in the set such that the rotors intermesh with each other. Intermeshing rotors must be driven at an even speed because of the interaction between the rotors.
• tangential rotors refers to a set of rotors where each rotor turns independently of the other in a cavity that may be referred to as a side.
• a mixer with tangential rotors will include a ram whereas a ram is not necessary in a mixer with intermeshing rotors.
• the rubber composition is prepared by a process with the non-productive master batch mixing stage(s) conducted at a temperature of about 130 °C to about 200 °C.
• the rubber composition is prepared by a process with the final productive mixing stage conducted at a temperature below the vulcanization temperature in order to avoid unwanted pre-cure of the rubber composition. Therefore, the temperature of the productive mixing stage should not exceed about 120 °C and is typically about 40 °C to about 120 °C, or about 60 °C to about 110 °C and, especially, about 75 °C to about 100 °C.
• modified high cis polybutadiene polymers can be made using different functional compounds (i.e., according to formula (I), as discussed above), using different stabilizing agents or no stabilizing agent (as discussed above), or using/having different combinations of the functional compound and stabilizing and used in rubber compositions.
• high cis polybutadiene polymers can be utilized in rubber compositions along with ingredients (e.g., additional rubber(s), fillers, cure package ingredients) that differ in relative amount, composition, or both from those used in the examples (i.e., as fully as disclosed in the preceding paragraphs).
• ingredients e.g., additional rubber(s), fillers, cure package ingredients
• Examples 1-5 high cis polybutadiene polymers were produced in Examples 1-5.
• Examples 3-5 can be considered to be a modified high cis polybutadiene polymer exemplary of the second embodiment and produced according to processes that are exemplary of the first embodiment whereas Examples 1-2 should be considered as comparative or control examples (since they do not utilize a functionalizing compound meeting formula (I)).
• the polymers produced in Examples 1-5 were then used to prepare rubber compositions in Example 6. Rubber compositions 6-3, 6-4 and 6-5 can be considered as exemplary of the third embodiment disclosed herein whereas Examples 6-1, and 6-2 should be considered as comparative or control examples.
• Example 1 To a dry 378 liter reactor purged with nitrogen was added 55,755 grams of hexane and 78,361 grams of 23.4 weight % 1,3-butadiene solution in hexane. The solution was maintained at 32 °C. 260 grams/288 milliliters of COMCAT Nd-FC/SF catalyst (available from Comar Chemical Ltd.) was used as a preformed catalyst. Additional diisobutylaluminum hydride was added as needed to maintain a base MLI+4 in the range of 25 MU to 45 MU. The reactor jacket temperature was then set to 91 °C. The mixture was allowed to polymerize until it reached a peak temperature of 52 °C.
• COMCAT Nd-FC/SF catalyst available from Comar Chemical Ltd.
• the jacket temperature was then increased to 66 °C. After 20 minutes, 69,622 grams of hexane and 93.9 grams of neat 2- cyanoethyltriethoxysilane (CETEOS) were charged to the reactor. The molar ratio of CETEOS to Nd in the neodymium versatate was 20:1. After 30 minutes, 120 grams of neat triethoxy(octyl)silane was added, followed by 39 grams of neat ethylhexanoic acid. After about 30 minutes, the polymerization mixture was allowed to cool.
• CETEOS 2- cyanoethyltriethoxysilane
• the resulting polymer cement was quenched and coagulated using 46 grams of neat isopropanol followed by 183 grams of neat dibutylhydroxytoluene, and then steam distilled to dry.
• the properties of the resulting polymer are summarized below in Table 1-A.
• the polymer of Example 1 can be considered a control polymer.
• Example 2 The polymer of Example 2 was made according to the procedure discussed above for Example 1 except that 100.0 grams of neat 3- cyanopropyltriethoxysilane (CPTEOS) was used instead of the CETEOS.
• CPTEOS neat 3- cyanopropyltriethoxysilane
• the polymer of Example 2 can be considered a control polymer.
• Example 3 The polymer of Example 3 was made according to the procedure discussed above for Example 1 except that 100.0 grams of neat 3-3- glycidoxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane (GPMDEOS) was used instead of the CETEOS.
• GPMDEOS neat 3-3- glycidoxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane
• Example 4 The polymer of Example 4 was made according to the procedure discussed above for Example 3 except that less stabilizing agent (75.3 grams of OTES) was used.
• Example 5 The polymer of Example 5 was made according to the procedure discussed above for Example 3 except that no stabilizing agent (i.e., 0 grams of OTES) was used.
• Examples 6-11 High-cis polybutadiene polymers were prepared using GPTEOS/3-glycidoxypropyltriethoxysilane (Examples 6 and 9), GPMDEOS/3- glycidoxypropylmethyldiethoxysilane (Examples 7 and 10), or GPDMEOS/3- glycidoxydimethylethoxysilane (Examples 8 and 11). Examples 6, 7 and 8 used 5 equivalents of OTES (i.e., a molar ratio of OTES:Nd of 5:1).
• Examples 9, 10 and 11 used no OTES.
• Examples 7 and 9 are inventive and Examples 6, 8, 9 and 11 are control examples (which compare triethoxysilanes and monoethoxysilanes to a diethoxysilane).
• Examples 1-5 the same procedure as set forth in Examples 1-5 was used to prepare the polymers except for use of the modifiers described above (and in the amounts listed in Table 1-B) and for certain of the polymers the use of a stabilizing agent (as indicated and in the amount listed in Table 1-B).
• the properties of the resulting polymers are summarized below in Table 1-B.
• the Mooney viscosities disclosed in Tables 1-A and 1-B are polymer values (determined upon the polymers) determined at 100 °C using an Alpha Technologies Mooney viscometer with a large rotor, a one minute warm-up time, and a four minute running time, and, hence are referred to as MLi + 4. More specifically, the Mooney viscosity was measured by preheating a sample from each batch to 100 °C for one minute before the rotor starts. The Mooney viscosity was recorded for each sample as the torque at four minutes after the rotor started. The initial and aged values were determined on samples as discussed, infra.
• the use of the functionalizing compound according to formula (I), i.e., having a diethoxysilane group, as compared to use of a similar compound having a monoethoxysilane group resulted in improved properties when the polymer was incorporated into a rubber composition.
• the use of a functionalizing compound according to formula (I), as compared to epoxy-containing compounds containing a triethoxysilane group results in a modified high-cis polybutadiene with lower insoluble content, an effect that is more pronounced in the presence of increasing amounts of stabilizing agent (i.e., OTES).
• a functionalizing compound according to formula (I) as compared to epoxy-containing compounds containing a triethoxysilane group, results in a modified high-cis polybutadiene with both a lower initial Mooney viscosity (with values all falling within the preferred range of 30-80) and a lower aged Mooney viscosity (with values all being less than 105).
• the use of a functionalizing compound according to formula (I), as compared to epoxy-containing compounds containing a monoethoxy group results in a modified high-cis polybutadiene having a Mooney viscosity that is particularly advantageous for polymer processing. More specifically, an aged or final Mooney viscosity of at least 50 or at least 60 can be advantageous in that such polymers exhibit less stickiness.
• Example 12 The polymers produced according to Examples 1-11 were utilized to prepare rubber compositions (12-Cl, 12-C2 and 12-1 to 12-11) according to the formulas provided in Table 2 below. The polymer of Example 1 was used to prepare rubber composition 12-1, the polymer of Example 2 was used to prepare rubber composition 12-2, etc.
• an additional control rubber composition was prepared using 140ND DieneTM polybutadiene a commercially available neodymium-catalyzed polymer from Firestone Polymers (having a cis 1,4 bond content of 96%, a vinyl bond content of 0%, a trans bond content of 4%, a Tg of -109 °C, and an initial MLi+4 at 100 °C of 45).
• Samples of the 140ND were used with OTES (12-Cl) and without OTES (12-C2).
• the mixing procedure set forth in Table 3 was utilized in preparing the rubber compositions of Example 12.
• the rubber compositions of Examples 12-Cl, 12-C2, 12-1, 12-2, 12-6, 12-8, 12-9 and 12-11 can be considered control examples.
• the rubber compositions of Examples 12-3, 12-4, 12- 5, 12-7 and 12-10 can be considered inventive.
• Tan d and G' values were measured using a strain sweep test conducted with an Advanced Rheometric Expansion System (ARES) from TA Instruments.
• the test specimen had a rectangular geometry having a length of 47 mm, a thickness of 2 mm, and a width of 12.7 mm.
• the test was conducted using a frequency of 3.14 rad/sec.
• the temperature was swept from -80 °C to 80 °C with a strain of 0.25% used for temperatures from -80 °C to -10 °C and the strain increased to 2% from -10 °C to 80 °C.
• a rubber composition's tan d at 65 °C is indicative of its rolling resistance when incorporated into a tire tread
• its tan G' -20 °C is indicative of its snow performance when incorporated into a tire tread
• its tan d at 0 °C is indicative of its wet performance when incorporated into a tire tread.
• the tan d values are presented as indexed numbers (calculated by comparing the value for a given example as compared to the value for the control rubber composition) wherein a number above 100 is considered to be an improvement.
• Examples 12-4 and 12-5 were mixed at a separate time from Examples 12-1 to 12-3 and were indexed to a control having the same composition as the one listed in Table 4-A but mixed at the same time as Examples 12-4 and 12-5.

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