Diene! homopolymer and (block) copolymer prepn. - by polymerising diene in the presence of organo-lithium cpd. and sodium or potassium salt of phenol!-amino resin

Carbon chain homopolymer and block- and statistical copolymers of conjugated diene with vinyl aromatic monomers are prepd. by polymerisation of dienes with (di)vinyl aromatic monomers in a hydrocarbon solvent at -30 to 150 deg.C in the presence of a lighium organic catalyst R(Li)x (where R is a hydrocarbon gp. or a diene polymer and x is 1-4) and a reaction prod. of a phenolamino resin with an alkali metal of formula (I). In (I) n is 1;10, M is sodium or potassium, R2 is 2-20C alkyl or 7-20C arylalkyl and R1 is H, 1-6C alkyl or 7-9C arylalkyl. (I) is used in an amt. of 0.07-2.00 mVal per mVal active lithium. (I) is an antioxidant and non-volatile preventing oxidn. of the polymer during sepn. and drying. The polymer can be used for tyres, shoes and cables.