Process for preparing block copolymers utilizing organolithium catalysts

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING AN ELASTOMERIC THREE COMPONENT BLOCK COPOLYMER WHICH COMPRISES CONTACTING A MONOMER OF THE GROUP CONSISTING OF DIOLEFINS CONTAINING FROM 4 TO 10 CARBON ATOMS, MONO ALKENYL-SUBSTITUTED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS AND MONO-ALKENYL-SUBSTITUTED PYRIDINE COMPOUJNDS WITH A HYDROCARBON LITHIUM COMPOUND IN AN INERT ATOMSPHERE AND UNDER SUBSTANTIALLY ANHYDROUS CONDITIONS UNTIL THEREIS NO UNPOLYMERIZED MONOMER IN THE REACTION MIXTURE, ADDING TO THIS SAME REACTION MIXTURE WHICH HAS NOT BEEN FURTHER TREATED A MONOMER OF THE ABOVE GROUP WHICH IS DISSIMILAR TO THAT USED IN THE INITIAL REACTION AND CONTINUING THE POLYMERIZATION UNDER THE ABOVE CONDIDTIONS UNTIL THE DISSIMILAR MONOMER HAS BEEN POLYMERIZED, AND THEN ADDING TO THIS SAME REACTION MIXTURE WHICH HAS NOT BEEN FURTHER TREATED A THIRD MONOMER WHICH IS DIFFEREENT FROM THE AFOREMENTIONED DISSIMILAR MONOMER AND SELECTED FROM THE ABOVE GROUP OF MONOMERS, AND CONTINUING THE POLYMERIZATION UNDER THE AFOREDESCRIBED CONDITIONS UNTIL THE THIRD MONOMER HAS BEEN POLYMERIZED, AT LEAST ONE OF THE MONOMERS UTILIZED BEING A DIOLEFIN.