A method to prepare an oligomer which includes a plurality of pendent alkenyl groups, where the method reacts a copolymer formed by copolymerizing styrene and allyl alcohol comprising a polyhydroxy oligomer wherein n is between about 3 and about 50, and having a structure:

##STR00001##

with an isocyanate having a structure:

##STR00002##

to give a urethane-modified copolymer having a structure:

##STR00003##

A method to prepare an oligomer which includes a plurality of pendent alkenyl groups, where the method reacts a copolymer formed by copolymerizing styrene and allyl alcohol comprising a polyhydroxy oligomer wherein n is between about 3 and about 50, and having a structure:

##STR00001##

with an isocyanate having a structure:

##STR00002##

to give a urethane-modified copolymer having a structure:

##STR00003##

A resin composition, comprising a polyvinyl acetal-based resin, wherein the resin composition has a glass transition temperature of 50° C. or lower, and the polar component γsp of the surface free energy according to the Kaelble-Uy method is a value of 0.1 mJ/m.sup.2 or more and 8.0 mJ/m.sup.2 or less.

A resin composition, comprising a polyvinyl acetal-based resin, wherein the resin composition has a glass transition temperature of 50° C. or lower, and the polar component γsp of the surface free energy according to the Kaelble-Uy method is a value of 0.1 mJ/m.sup.2 or more and 8.0 mJ/m.sup.2 or less.

Polar silane linkers are provided that attach to resins to form silane-functionalized resins. The functionalized resins can be bound to hydroxyl groups on the surface of silica particles to improve the dispersibility of the silica particles in rubber mixtures. Further disclosed are synthetic routes to provide the silane-functionalized resins, as well as various uses and end products that benefit from the unexpected properties of the silane-functionalized resins. Silane-functionalized resins impart remarkable properties on various rubber compositions, such as tires, belts, hoses, brakes, and the like. Automobile tires incorporating the silane-functionalized resins are shown to possess excellent results in balancing the properties of rolling resistance, tire wear, and wet braking performance.

A hydrophilic polymer comprising pendent groups of the formula I: Wherein: W is independently selected from —OH, —COOH, —SO.sub.3H, —OPO.sub.3H, —O—(C.sub.1-4alkyl), —O—(C.sub.1-4alkyl)OH, —O—(C.sub.1-4alkyl)R.sup.2, —O—(C.sub.2H.sub.5O).sub.qR.sup.1—(C═O)—O—C.sub.1-4alkyl and —O—(C═O)C.sub.1-4alkyl; or a group —BZ; wherein —OH, COOH, O—PO.sub.3H and SO.sub.3H maybe in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt; wherein: B is a bond, or a straight branched alkanediyl, oxyalkylene, alkylene oxaalkylene, or alkylene (oligooxalkylene) group, optionally containing one or more fluorine substituents; and Z is an ammonium, phosphonium, or sulphonium phosphate or phosphonate ester zwitterionic group; X is either a bond or a linking group having 1 to 8 carbons and optionally 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N and S; G is a coupling group through which the group of the formula I is coupled to the polymer and is selected from ether, ester, amide, carbonate, carbamate, 1,3 dioxolone, and 1,3 dioxane; R.sup.1 is H or C.sub.1-4 alkyl; R.sup.2 is —COOH, —SO.sub.3H, or —OPO.sub.3H.sub.2 q is an integer from 1 to 4; n is an integer from 1 to 4; p is an integer from 1 to 3; and n+p is from 2 to 5; and wherein —COOH, —OPO.sub.3H.sub.2 and —SO.sub.3H as well as phenolic —OH maybe in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt.

A hydrophilic polymer comprising pendent groups of the formula I: Wherein: W is independently selected from —OH, —COOH, —SO.sub.3H, —OPO.sub.3H, —O—(C.sub.1-4alkyl), —O—(C.sub.1-4alkyl)OH, —O—(C.sub.1-4alkyl)R.sup.2, —O—(C.sub.2H.sub.5O).sub.qR.sup.1—(C═O)—O—C.sub.1-4alkyl and —O—(C═O)C.sub.1-4alkyl; or a group —BZ; wherein —OH, COOH, O—PO.sub.3H and SO.sub.3H maybe in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt; wherein: B is a bond, or a straight branched alkanediyl, oxyalkylene, alkylene oxaalkylene, or alkylene (oligooxalkylene) group, optionally containing one or more fluorine substituents; and Z is an ammonium, phosphonium, or sulphonium phosphate or phosphonate ester zwitterionic group; X is either a bond or a linking group having 1 to 8 carbons and optionally 1 to 4 heteroatoms selected from O, N and S; G is a coupling group through which the group of the formula I is coupled to the polymer and is selected from ether, ester, amide, carbonate, carbamate, 1,3 dioxolone, and 1,3 dioxane; R.sup.1 is H or C.sub.1-4 alkyl; R.sup.2 is —COOH, —SO.sub.3H, or —OPO.sub.3H.sub.2 q is an integer from 1 to 4; n is an integer from 1 to 4; p is an integer from 1 to 3; and n+p is from 2 to 5; and wherein —COOH, —OPO.sub.3H.sub.2 and —SO.sub.3H as well as phenolic —OH maybe in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt.

Although polyolefin elastomers are widely employed commodity polymers, there are shortcomings of this class of polymers for certain applications. For example, the rheological properties of some polyolefin elastomers may be insufficient to provide the green strength or low shear viscosity necessary to form stable foams, or to provide sufficient viscosity modification effects when present in a solvent. Cationomeric modification of polyolefin elastomers may alleviate these difficulties. Such polyolefin elastomers may feature a random cationomeric polyolefin copolymer comprising at least a first monomer and a second monomer, in which the first monomer is a neutral monomer and the second monomer has a side chain bearing a cationic moiety. The polyolefin elastomers may be present in foamed polyolefin compositions comprising a gas component and/or in liquid compositions comprising a solvent in which the polyolefin elastomer is dissolved.

Although polyolefin elastomers are widely employed commodity polymers, there are shortcomings of this class of polymers for certain applications. For example, the rheological properties of some polyolefin elastomers may be insufficient to provide the green strength or low shear viscosity necessary to form stable foams, or to provide sufficient viscosity modification effects when present in a solvent. Cationomeric modification of polyolefin elastomers may alleviate these difficulties. Such polyolefin elastomers may feature a random cationomeric polyolefin copolymer comprising at least a first monomer and a second monomer, in which the first monomer is a neutral monomer and the second monomer has a side chain bearing a cationic moiety. The polyolefin elastomers may be present in foamed polyolefin compositions comprising a gas component and/or in liquid compositions comprising a solvent in which the polyolefin elastomer is dissolved.

Although polyolefin elastomers are widely employed commodity polymers, there are shortcomings of this class of polymers for certain applications. For example, the rheological properties of some polyolefin elastomers may be insufficient to provide the green strength or low shear viscosity necessary to form stable foams, or to provide sufficient viscosity modification effects when present in a solvent. Cationomeric modification of polyolefin elastomers may alleviate these difficulties. Such polyolefin elastomers may feature a random cationomeric polyolefin copolymer comprising at least a first monomer and a second monomer, in which the first monomer is a neutral monomer and the second monomer has a side chain bearing a cationic moiety. The polyolefin elastomers may be present in foamed polyolefin compositions comprising a gas component and/or in liquid compositions comprising a solvent in which the polyolefin elastomer is dissolved.