The present invention is directed to a method of making a functionalized elastomer, comprising the steps of: forming a copolymer Y by copolymerizing a first monomer and a second monomer, wherein the first monomer is selected from the group consisting of 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, and styrene; the second monomer is selected from the group consisting of formula 1 or 2 ##STR00001##
wherein B is boron; O is oxygen; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently linear or branched alkyl groups containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms; R.sup.3 is hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and R.sup.4 is a linear or branched alkane diyl group containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or a bridging aromatic group; and reacting the copolymer Y with a compound Z to form the functionalized elastomer, wherein Z is a compound of formula 3 ##STR00002##
where R.sup.5 is phenylene, a linear or branched alkane diyl group containing from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or a combination of one or more phenylene groups and one or more linear or branched alkane diyl groups containing from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; and Q is hydrogen, bromine, or a functional group comprising at least one heteroatom selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, silicon, and sulfur.