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Abstract

The subject invention discloses a process for modifying a rubbery polymer to improve silica interaction which comprises the steps of: (1) metallating the rubbery polymer with lithium by reacting the rubbery polymer with an organo lithium compound in the presence of a member selected from the group consisting of alkali metal alkoxides, alkali metal phenoxides and chelating tertiary alkyl 1,2- ethylene dieumines to produce a metallated rubbery polymer; and (2) reacting the metallated rubbery polymer with a silicon containing compound to produce the modified rubbery polymer having improved silica interaction, wherein the silicon containing compound is selected from the group consisting of silanes and siloxanes, wherein said silanes and siloxanes contain at least two functional groups which can be the same or different and which are selected from the group consisting of alkoxy groups, tertiary amino groups, cyano groups, sulfonyl groups, epoxy groups and halogen atoms; and wherein the reaction between the metallated rubbery polymer and the silicon containing compound is conducted in the presence of a member selected from the group consisting of alkali metal alkoxides, alkali metal phenoxides and chelating tertiary alkyl 1,2-ethylene diamines.

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First Claim