A water-soluble and/or water-swellable hybrid polymer comprising: (i) from 5 wt.-% to 95 wt.-% water-soluble and/or water-swellable polysaccharide polymer selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, carrageenan, guar gum, chitosan, alginate and combinations thereof; (ii) from 5 wt.-% to 95 wt.-% synthetic polymer comprising up to 100 mol-% repeating units according to Formula (1a): ##STR00001##
wherein components (i) and (ii) are polymerized by radical precipitation polymerization in a polar solvent.

A water-soluble and/or water-swellable hybrid polymer comprising: (i) from 5 wt.-% to 95 wt.-% water-soluble and/or water-swellable polysaccharide polymer selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, carrageenan, guar gum, chitosan, alginate and combinations thereof; (ii) from 5 wt.-% to 95 wt.-% synthetic polymer comprising up to 100 mol-% repeating units according to Formula (1a): ##STR00001##
wherein components (i) and (ii) are polymerized by radical precipitation polymerization in a polar solvent.

There is disclosed a modified conjugated diene polymer including a structural unit derived from a compound represented by formula (1), and a structural unit derived from a conjugated diene.

##STR00001##

When n is 0, at least two of R.sup.11, R.sup.12, R.sup.13, R.sup.16, R.sup.17 and R.sup.18 are substituted amino groups, and at least one is a hydroxy group or hydrocarbyloxy group.

There is disclosed a modified conjugated diene polymer including a structural unit derived from a compound represented by formula (1), and a structural unit derived from a conjugated diene.

##STR00001##

When n is 0, at least two of R.sup.11, R.sup.12, R.sup.13, R.sup.16, R.sup.17 and R.sup.18 are substituted amino groups, and at least one is a hydroxy group or hydrocarbyloxy group.

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.

The present invention relates to electrochromic devices and compositions, which include a cathodic component that includes cathodic zwitterions, where an anion is covalently bonded by a divalent linking group to a pyridinium nitrogen of the cathodic component. Each covalently bonded anion is independently represented by the following Formula (III) or Formula (IV):

##STR00001##

With reference to Formula (III) and Formula (IV), R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are in each case independently selected from divalent linear or branched alkane linking group, and for Formula (IV), R.sup.8 is selected from fluorine, linear or branched fluorinated alkyl, or linear or branched perfluorinated alkyl.

The present invention relates to electrochromic devices and compositions, which include a cathodic component that includes cathodic zwitterions, where an anion is covalently bonded by a divalent linking group to a pyridinium nitrogen of the cathodic component. Each covalently bonded anion is independently represented by the following Formula (III) or Formula (IV):

##STR00001##

With reference to Formula (III) and Formula (IV), R.sup.6 and R.sup.7 are in each case independently selected from divalent linear or branched alkane linking group, and for Formula (IV), R.sup.8 is selected from fluorine, linear or branched fluorinated alkyl, or linear or branched perfluorinated alkyl.

The present disclosure provides borate or aluminate activators comprising cations having linear alkyl groups, catalyst systems comprising, and methods for polymerizing olefins using such activators. Specifically, the present disclosure provides activator compounds represented by Formula: [R.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3EH].sub.d.sup.+[M.sup.k+Q.sub.n].sup.d−, wherein: E is nitrogen or phosphorous; d is 1, 2 or 3; k is 1, 2, or 3; n is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6; n−k=d; R.sup.1 is C.sub.1-C.sub.20 linear alkyl group; each of R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is a C.sub.1-C.sub.40 linear alkyl group, a meta- and/or para-substituted phenyl group, an alkoxy group, a silyl group, a halogen, or a halogen containing group, wherein R.sup.1+R.sup.2+R.sup.3≥15 carbon atoms; M is an element selected from group 13, typically B or Al; and each Q is independently a hydride, bridged or unbridged dialkylamido, halide, alkoxide, aryloxide, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, halocarbyl, substituted halocarbyl, or halosubstituted-hydrocarbyl radical, provided that when Q is a fluorophenyl group, then R.sup.2 is not a C.sub.1-C.sub.40 linear alkyl group.

The present disclosure provides borate or aluminate activators comprising cations having branched alkyl groups, catalyst systems comprising, and methods for polymerizing olefins using such activators. Specifically, the present disclosure provides activator compounds represented by Formula: [R.sup.1R.sup.2R.sup.3EH].sub.d.sup.+[M.sup.k+Q.sub.n].sup.d−, wherein: E is nitrogen or phosphorous; d is 1, 2 or 3; k is 1, 2, or 3; n is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6; n−k=d; each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 is independently C.sub.1-C.sub.40 branched or linear alkyl or C.sub.5-C.sub.50-aryl, wherein each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 is independently unsubstituted or substituted with at least one of halide, C.sub.5-C.sub.50 aryl, C.sub.6-C.sub.35 arylalkyl, C.sub.6-C.sub.35 alkylaryl and, in the case of the C.sub.5-C.sub.50-aryl, C.sub.1-C.sub.50 alkyl; wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 together comprise 15 or more carbon atoms; M is an element selected from group 13 of the Periodic Table of the Elements; and each Q is independently a hydride, bridged or unbridged dialkylamido, halide, alkoxide, aryloxide, hydrocarbyl, substituted hydrocarbyl, halocarbyl, substituted halocarbyl, or halosubstituted-hydrocarbyl radical, provided that at least one of R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.3 is a branched alkyl.