Design and Synthesis of Functionalized Styrene‐Butadiene Copolymers by Means of Living Anionic Polymerization

Styrene‐butadiene copolymers (SBR) end‐functionalized with dimethylamino groups at the initiating and terminating chain‐ends were successfully synthesized by a one‐step methodology based on living anionic polymerization using 1‐(4‐dimethylaminophenyl)‐1‐phenylethylene. The expected structures of the resulting copolymers were confirmed by 1 H‐NMR, SEC, and SLS analyses, titration, and model reactions. Furthermore, the possible synthesis of tri‐functionalized styrene‐butadiene copolymer with dimethylamino groups in a chain by extending the methodology is described.