Hardenable composition

Claim 1

A hardenable composition comprising as a film-forming component a final polymer prepared by reacting (A) a starting polymer prepared by cationic polymerization and consisting of 60 to 100 mole percent of 1,3-pentadiene units and zero to 40 mole percent of 1,3-butadiene units wherein from 50 to 90 molar percent of said units are in cis-1,2 and trans-1,2 configuration and the balance of said units are in 3,4, cis-1,4 and trans-1,4 configuration, said starting polymer having an average molecular weight of about 300 to 10000, with (B) an aqueous solution containing more than 30 up to about 90 weight percent of hydrogen peroxide wherein the amount of hydrogen peroxide is from 0.7 to 3.0 moles per unit mole of said starting polymer, and with (C) a carboxylic acid having the formula RCOOH, wherein R is hydrogen or alkyl having one to three carbon atoms, wherein the amount of said carboxylic acid is from 0.1 to 3.0 moles per unit mole of said starting polymer, the reaction being carried out at 30° to 100° C to obtain said final polymer having a molecular weight of 320 to 15000 and containing 12 to 25 percent of epoxy groups, from 4 to 20 percent of hydroxy groups and acyloxy groups, based on the double bonds contained in the starting polymer, and wherein the ratio of epoxy groups : hydroxy groups : acyloxy groups is 5 to 9 : 1 to 5 : 1 to 5 by equivalents.