A process for preparing a polydiene, the process comprising (i) forming an active catalyst composition by combining a rare-earth compound, an alkylating agent, an aluminoxane, and a halogen compound; and (ii) combining the active catalyst composition with monomer to be polymerized within 12 hours of forming the active catalyst composition.

A process for preparing a polydiene, the process comprising (i) forming an active catalyst composition by combining a rare-earth compound, an alkylating agent, an aluminoxane, and a halogen compound; and (ii) combining the active catalyst composition with monomer to be polymerized within 12 hours of forming the active catalyst composition.

The invention discloses an iron bipyridine complex, a preparation method of the same, and use of the same in polymerization of conjugated dienes the invention provides an iron bipyridine complex, which is used as a primary catalyst showing high activity in the polymerization of polyprene to obtain a polymer with a high branched-chain degree. The polymer has the characteristics of a high molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution, and the molecular weight of the polymer can be adjusted by a chain transfer reagent. The obtained poly(conjugated diene) rubber has high branched-chain content and an ultrahigh molecular weight. Because there are a large number of side groups on the molecular chains of the rubber, the rubber is mainly used for preparing high-performance tires and other related rubber products with good wet traction and low friction-induced heat generation.

The invention discloses an iron bipyridine complex, a preparation method of the same, and use of the same in polymerization of conjugated dienes the invention provides an iron bipyridine complex, which is used as a primary catalyst showing high activity in the polymerization of polyprene to obtain a polymer with a high branched-chain degree. The polymer has the characteristics of a high molecular weight and narrow molecular weight distribution, and the molecular weight of the polymer can be adjusted by a chain transfer reagent. The obtained poly(conjugated diene) rubber has high branched-chain content and an ultrahigh molecular weight. Because there are a large number of side groups on the molecular chains of the rubber, the rubber is mainly used for preparing high-performance tires and other related rubber products with good wet traction and low friction-induced heat generation.

This disclosure is to provide a method for preparing a terminal-modified conjugated diene polymer which achieves an extremely high compounding amount of cis-1,4 without complicated preparing conditions, a terminal-modified conjugated diene polymer obtained via the method, a rubber composition containing the terminal-modified conjugated diene polymer, and a tire using the rubber composition. This disclosure is A method for preparing a terminal-modified conjugated diene polymer comprising: polymerizing a conjugated diene compound by using a polymerization catalyst composition and modifying a polymer obtained via the polymerization by using a modifier, wherein the polymerization catalyst composition contains a rare earth element compound, and a coordination compound having a cyclopentadiene skeleton selected from substituted or unsubstituted cyclopentadienes, substituted or unsubstituted indenes, and substituted or unsubstituted fluorenes, and wherein the polymerization and modification is performed in a one-pot way.

This disclosure is to provide a method for preparing a terminal-modified conjugated diene polymer which achieves an extremely high compounding amount of cis-1,4 without complicated preparing conditions, a terminal-modified conjugated diene polymer obtained via the method, a rubber composition containing the terminal-modified conjugated diene polymer, and a tire using the rubber composition. This disclosure is A method for preparing a terminal-modified conjugated diene polymer comprising: polymerizing a conjugated diene compound by using a polymerization catalyst composition and modifying a polymer obtained via the polymerization by using a modifier, wherein the polymerization catalyst composition contains a rare earth element compound, and a coordination compound having a cyclopentadiene skeleton selected from substituted or unsubstituted cyclopentadienes, substituted or unsubstituted indenes, and substituted or unsubstituted fluorenes, and wherein the polymerization and modification is performed in a one-pot way.

A method for manufacturing a conjugated diene polymer that can increase the robustness of a polymerization reaction system is provided. Also, a conjugated diene polymer, with a high cis-1,4-bond content, that is manufactured by this method for manufacturing is provided. A method for manufacturing a conjugated diene polymer includes polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer using a polymerization catalyst composition including a rare earth element compound and a compound having a cyclopentadiene skeleton, and a conjugated diene polymer manufactured with this method for manufacturing has a cis-1,4-bond content of 95% or greater.

A cured elastomer golf ball component is made by heating an elastomer compound containing an ethylenically unsaturated elastomer, an ethylenically unsaturated monomer, and first and second free radical initiators to a first crosslinking temperature T.sub.1 in a compression mold and partially crosslinking the elastomer, then heating to a second crosslinking temperature T.sub.2 and curing the elastomer component of the golf ball. Either: (i) the first initiator has a half-life of about 0.2-5 minutes at T.sub.1, the second initiator has a half-life of about 0.2-5 minutes at T.sub.2, and T.sub.2 is higher T.sub.1 by at least about 30° C.; or (ii) the second initiator's one-minute half-life temperature is at least about 30° C. higher than the first initiator's one-minute half-life temperature, T.sub.1 is within about 20° C. of the first initiator's one-minute half-life temperature, and T.sub.2 is within about 20° C. of the second initiator's one-minute half-life temperature.

The present invention is directed to a method of making a functionalized elastomer, comprising the step of polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer in the presence of a lanthanide-based coordination polymerization catalyst activated with a functionalized aluminum reagent of formula 1 ##STR00001##
where R is a linear or branched alkane group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and R.sup.1 is phenylene, or a linear or branched alkane diyl group containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms, or a combination of one or more phenylene groups and one or more linear or branched alkane diyl groups containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms; Q is of formula 2 ##STR00002##
where R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are independently a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 3 carbon atoms or a group of formula 3 ##STR00003##
where R3 and R4 are independently phenyl or a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or R3 and R4 taken together with the nitrogen atom represent a nitrogen containing heterocyclic group containing from 4 to 12 carbon atoms; or R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 taken together with the silicon atom represent a structure of formula 4 ##STR00004##
where R.sup.8 is C1 to C4 linear or branched alkanediyl and Z is N or a group of formula 5 ##STR00005##
wherein R.sup.13 is C1 to C8 alkyl.

The present invention is directed to a method of making a functionalized elastomer, comprising the step of polymerizing a conjugated diene monomer in the presence of a lanthanide-based coordination polymerization catalyst activated with a functionalized aluminum reagent of formula 1 ##STR00001##
where R is a linear or branched alkane group containing 1 to 8 carbon atoms, and R.sup.1 is phenylene, or a linear or branched alkane diyl group containing 2 to 10 carbon atoms, or a combination of one or more phenylene groups and one or more linear or branched alkane diyl groups containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms; Q is of formula 2 ##STR00002##
where R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are independently a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 3 carbon atoms or a group of formula 3 ##STR00003##
where R3 and R4 are independently phenyl or a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or R3 and R4 taken together with the nitrogen atom represent a nitrogen containing heterocyclic group containing from 4 to 12 carbon atoms; or R.sup.5, R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 taken together with the silicon atom represent a structure of formula 4 ##STR00004##
where R.sup.8 is C1 to C4 linear or branched alkanediyl and Z is N or a group of formula 5 ##STR00005##
wherein R.sup.13 is C1 to C8 alkyl.