Functionalized polymer, rubber composition and pneumatic tire

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a functionalized elastomer comprising the reaction product of a living anionic elastomeric polymer and a polymerization terminator of formula I where X is Cl, Br, or I;m is an integer from 0 to 2, n is an integer from 1 to 3, with the proviso that n+m=3;R, Rare independently C1 to C18 alkyl, aryl, or a combination thereof, or R, Rare independently —SiRwhere R is independently alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, or disubstituted amino, or Rand Rtaken together with their common nitrogen atom and optionally a sulfur or oxygen heteroatom to form a five to eight membered ring;Ris hydrogen, or C1 to C18 alkyl, aryl, or a combination thereof, or Ris —SiRwhere R is independently alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, or disubstituted amino, or Ris -R-R, where Ris C1 to C3 alkanediyl and Ris selected from the following structures—S—Z, —N(R)(R), —O(Y), or Si(OR), where Rand Rare independently C1 to C18 alkyl, aryl, or a combination thereof,Y and Z are independently selected from the group consisting of methoxymethyl, tetrahydropyranyl, tetrahydrothiopyranyl, tetrahydrofuranyl, tert-butyl, allyl, 1-ethoxyethyl, benzyl, triphenylmethyl, triethylsilyl, triisopropylsilyl, trimethylsilyl, tert-butyl dimethyl silyl, tert-butyl diphenyl silyl, and isopropyldimethylsilyl, andRare independently C1 to C4 alkyl;or when m=1, the polymerization terminator may have the formula II where R, Rare independently C1 to C18 alkyl, aryl, or a combination thereof, or R, Rare independently —SiRwhere R is independently alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, or disubstituted amino, X and Rare as defined previously, and k is an integer from 0 to 10.