Conjugated diene polymers such as a styrene-butadiene copolymer are sequentially brominated by reaction with a quaternary ammonium tribromide or quaternary phosphonium tribromide and halohydrated by reaction with an N-haloimide compound. This produces a brominated and halohydrated polymer with very good thermal stability. The product is useful as a flame retardant in a variety of polymer systems.

Conjugated diene polymers such as a styrene-butadiene copolymer are sequentially brominated by reaction with a quaternary ammonium tribromide or quaternary phosphonium tribromide and halohydrated by reaction with an N-haloimide compound. This produces a brominated and halohydrated polymer with very good thermal stability. The product is useful as a flame retardant in a variety of polymer systems.

A method for producing a conjugated diene polymer having a high content of cis-1,4-structures with a high activity, a conjugated diene polymer, and a modified conjugated diene polymer. The catalyst for conjugated diene polymerization in the method includes: a non-metallocene type gadolinium compound (A) represented by the general formula (1); an ionic compound (B) formed of a non-coordinating anion and a cation; and an organic metal compound (C) of an element selected from the group consisting of a group 2, a group 12, and a group 13 of the periodic table.

A method for producing a conjugated diene polymer having a high content of cis-1,4-structures with a high activity, a conjugated diene polymer, and a modified conjugated diene polymer. The catalyst for conjugated diene polymerization in the method includes: a non-metallocene type gadolinium compound (A) represented by the general formula (1); an ionic compound (B) formed of a non-coordinating anion and a cation; and an organic metal compound (C) of an element selected from the group consisting of a group 2, a group 12, and a group 13 of the periodic table.

The invention relates to an energy efficient, fast and environmentally favourable process for the preparation of chlorinated butyl rubbers, that uses hypochloric acid (HOCl) and/or dichlorine monoxide (Cl.sub.2O) as halogenating agent. The chlorinated butyl rubbers prepared according to the aforementioned process exhibit an advantageous microstructure and a desirable content and ratio of chlorinated and non-chlorinated oligomers and are therefore also encompassed by the invention. The teachings herein also relate to chlorinated copolymers and polymer products that include a chlorinated copolymer.

The invention relates to an energy efficient, fast and environmentally favourable process for the preparation of chlorinated butyl rubbers, that uses hypochloric acid (HOCl) and/or dichlorine monoxide (Cl.sub.2O) as halogenating agent. The chlorinated butyl rubbers prepared according to the aforementioned process exhibit an advantageous microstructure and a desirable content and ratio of chlorinated and non-chlorinated oligomers and are therefore also encompassed by the invention. The teachings herein also relate to chlorinated copolymers and polymer products that include a chlorinated copolymer.

Modified diene polymers containing heteroatoms are disclosed, as is their production, rubber mixtures comprising these modified diene rubbers, and to their use for the production of rubber vulcanizates, which serve, in particular, for the production of rubber moldings and the production of tires.

A method of making a solid composition by reacting a tetrazine component and a polymer component through an inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reaction (IEDDA). The solid composition formed by the Diels-Alder reaction is in the form of either a foam or a powder depending on the functional groups of the tetrazine component. The polymer component can be various substituted polybutadienes, mixtures of stereoisomeric polydienes, and polybutadiene copolymers. The gas produced during the reaction is nitrogen, hence, the solid composition can be considered a greener material than poiyurethanes, which involves carbon monoxide release during the course of the reaction. The aromatized polymer can act as a built in anti-oxidant with up to two hydrogen atom equivalents per dihydropyridazine group. The polymers of dihydropyridazines are converted to polymeric pyridazine groups by aromatization and the aromatic polymer becomes more stable.

The present invention relates to water and solvent-free halogenated butyl rubber products as well as a process for the production thereof.

A conjugated diene polymer having a high content of cis-1,4-structures with a high activity, a conjugated diene polymer and a modified conjugated diene polymer using the same, a rubber composition for a tire, and a rubber composition for a rubber belt. Described are a catalyst for a conjugated diene polymerization including: a non-metallocene type gadolinium compound (A) represented by the general formula (1); an ionic compound (B) formed of a non-coordinating anion and a cation; and an organic metal compound (C) of an element selected from the group consisting of a group 2, a group 12, and a group 13 of the periodic table, a conjugated diene polymer and a modified conjugated diene polymer obtained using the same, a rubber composition for a tire, and a rubber composition for a rubber belt.