The present invention relates to diene polymers, wherein the diene polymers have, at the start of the polymer chains, tertiary amino groups of the formula (I) or (II) ##STR00001##
where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 are the same or different and are each alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl radicals which may contain heteroatoms such as O, N, S and/or Si, Z is a divalent organic radical which, as well as C and H, may contain heteroatoms such as O, N, S and/or Si,
and, at the end of the polymer chains, silane-containing carbinol groups of the formula (III) ##STR00002##
or metal salts thereof or semimetal salts thereof, where R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6 are the same or different and are each an H or alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl radicals which may contain heteroatoms such as O, N, S and/or Si, A is a divalent organic radical which, as well as C and H, may contain heteroatoms such as O, N, S and/or Si.

The present invention relates to diene polymers, wherein the diene polymers have, at the start of the polymer chains, tertiary amino groups of the formula (I) or (II) ##STR00001##
where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 are the same or different and are each alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl radicals which may contain heteroatoms such as O, N, S and/or Si, Z is a divalent organic radical which, as well as C and H, may contain heteroatoms such as O, N, S and/or Si,
and, at the end of the polymer chains, silane-containing carbinol groups of the formula (III) ##STR00002##
or metal salts thereof or semimetal salts thereof, where R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, R.sup.6 are the same or different and are each an H or alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkaryl and aralkyl radicals which may contain heteroatoms such as O, N, S and/or Si, A is a divalent organic radical which, as well as C and H, may contain heteroatoms such as O, N, S and/or Si.

A process for the continuous synthesis of a modified diene elastomer comprising at least one silicon atom directly connected to the elastomer chain is provided. The process comprises polymerization by n reactors r1 to rn, considered to be continuous stirred-tank reactors equipped with an internal stirring system and arranged in series, n varying from 2 to 15. The reactor r1 is fed by an input solution comprising a solvent, one or more monomer(s), an anionic polymerization initiator chosen from lithium amides and a polar agent. The temperature of each reactor varies from 20° C. to 150° C. and is greater than or equal to the temperature of the reactor which immediately precedes it. The living diene elastomer obtained exhibits a polydispersity index varying from 1.1 to 1.7. The process further comprises modification of the living diene elastomer obtained in the preceding stage by a functionalization, coupling or star-branching agent.

A process for the continuous synthesis of a modified diene elastomer comprising at least one silicon atom directly connected to the elastomer chain is provided. The process comprises polymerization by n reactors r1 to rn, considered to be continuous stirred-tank reactors equipped with an internal stirring system and arranged in series, n varying from 2 to 15. The reactor r1 is fed by an input solution comprising a solvent, one or more monomer(s), an anionic polymerization initiator chosen from lithium amides and a polar agent. The temperature of each reactor varies from 20 C. to 150 C. and is greater than or equal to the temperature of the reactor which immediately precedes it. The living diene elastomer obtained exhibits a polydispersity index varying from 1.1 to 1.7. The process further comprises modification of the living diene elastomer obtained in the preceding stage by a functionalization, coupling or star-branching agent.