The present invention is directed to a functionalized elastomer comprising the reaction product of a living anionic elastomeric polymer and a polymerization terminator of formula I ##STR00001##
wherein R.sup.1 is C1 to C4 linear alkyl, or C1 to C4 branched alkanediyl; X.sup.1, X.sup.2, X.sup.3 are independently O, S, or a group of formula (II) or (III) ##STR00002##
where R.sup.2 is C1 to C18 linear or branched alkyl; and Z is R.sup.3CHCHR.sup.4, where R.sup.3 is a covalent bond or C1 to C18 linear or branched alkanediyl, and R.sup.4 is a hydrogen or C1 to C18 linear or branched alkyl.

The present invention relates to a block copolymer that contains a polymer block A containing a farnesene-derived monomer unit (a1) and a random copolymer block B containing a C12 or lower conjugated diene-derived monomer unit (b1) and an aromatic vinyl compound-derived monomer unit (b2), the block copolymer having a ratio by mass of the polymer block A to the random copolymer block B (A/B) of 30/70 to 0.5/99.5, a content of the aromatic vinyl compound-derived monomer unit (b2) in the random copolymer block B of 1 to 50% by mass, and a weight average molecular weight (Mw) of 100,000 to 5,000,000.

A thermoplastic elastomeric network is taught. The thermoplastic elastomer network includes hyperbranched styrenic block copolymers and styrenic block copolymers physically crosslinked though aggregation. Additionally, the hyperbranched styrenic block copolymers of the thermoplastic elastomeric network are a plurality of styrenic block copolymers chemically crosslinked.

The present invention relates to a nanoparticulate composition comprising nanoparticles formed from an amphipathic block copolymer comprising a hydrophilic block and a hydrophobic block, where the nanoparticles are provided in the form of micelles, cylindrical worm structures or vesicles and the size of the nanoparticles is from 25 to 500 nm, wherein: the composition is substantially free of heavy metals and compounds comprising sulfur. Also disclosed herein is a method of forming said nanoparticulate composition by polymerization induced self-assembly (PISA) via non-transition-metal catalysed controlled radical polymerization (NTMC-CRP).

Provided are: a novel polymerization technique by which a polymer having a controlled molecular weight or molecular weight distribution or a polymer having a desirably regulated, complicated structure can be obtained using commercially available general-purpose materials without using any radical polymerization initiator, or any special material for use in living radical polymerization and without requiring any strict polymerization conditions; a radical polymerization initiation group-containing compound for use in the technique; and a polymer obtained thereby. Specifically, provided are: a method for producing a polymer, the method including a polymerization step of mixing and warming (1) a radically polymerizable monomer, (2) an organic compound having at least one group introduced in a molecule thereof, the group functioning as a polymerization initiation group for the monomer and having a structure represented by formula 1, and (3) a chloride ion-containing and/or bromide ion-containing compound selected from among specific compounds, thereby initiating radical polymerization from the group having the structure, the radical polymerization accompanying a termination reaction; a radical polymerization initiation group-containing compound; and a polymer.

##STR00001##

The invention provides a method for producing photochromic silicone hydrogel (SiHy) contact lenses based on thermal cast-molding technology in a relatively efficient and consistent manner. The method is characterized by selecting a high radical-reactive hydrophilic acrylic monomer while eliminating any low radical-reactive hydrophilic N-vinyl amide monomer in a lens formulation (polymerizable composition), by selecting a weight ratio of low-radical-reactive hydrophilic N-vinyl amide monomer to a high radical-reactive hydrophilic acrylic monomer in a lens formulation if the low radical-reactive hydrophilic N-vinyl amide monomer is needed, and/or by using a relatively high temperature thermal initiator in a lens formulation, to control the lens properties (e.g., water content, elastic modulus, etc.) and lens processability (capability of dry-delensing from molds) of thermally cast-molded SiHy contact lenses while minimizing loss in photochromic ability of resultant SiHy contact lenses.

The present invention is directed to a functionalized polymerization initiator, comprising the reaction product of an alkyl lithium compound and a compound of formula

##STR00001##

wherein R.sub.1=alkyl (C1-C8), aryl, substituted aryl, or SiR.sub.3 where R.sub.3 are independently C1-C8 alkyl, preferably SiMe.sub.3 where Me is methyl, or Si(CH.sub.3).sub.2C(CH.sub.3).sub.3; R.sub.2=C1-C8 alkyl, aryl, or substituted aryl, or SiR.sub.3, preferably CH.sub.3; and n=0-3. The invention is further directed to a method of making the functionalized inititiator, and a method of making a functionalized elastomer using the inititator.

An ethylenically unsaturated polymer includes at a terminus the radical of an allylic compound that includes a functional group free of active hydrogen atoms that is bonded to the allylic C atom through a S, P, Si or Sn atom and a vinyl aromatic compound. The polymer can be used as a component of a variety of elastomeric compounds used in the production of vulcanizates.

The present disclosure relates to a capped dual-headed organoaluminum composition having the formula (I) and processes to prepare the same. In at least one aspect, the capped dual-headed organoaluminum compositions can be used in olefin polymerization.

Provided are a method for producing a multibranched polymer that can produce a multibranched polymer having a narrow molecular weight distribution in a one-pot procedure and the multibranched polymer. A method for producing a multibranched polymer includes the step of polymerizing a first vinyl monomer having a polymerization-initiating group in an -position of a vinyl bond and a second vinyl monomer free of polymerization-initiating group in an -position of a vinyl bond by a living radical polymerization.