End-functionalized polymers

This invention relates to end-functionalized living polymers or copolymers having a structure represented by the general formula 1 or 2, wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or a radically non-polymerizable organic group containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms. R2 is a functional end group of a vinyl hetero monomer selected from the group consisting of hydroxy, epoxy, silyl, NH2, NH(C1-C6alkyl), N(C1-C6alkyl)2, -CH CH2, -C≡CH, -C(CH3) CH2, -0-CH CH2, (-O-CH2-CH2)1-10-OH, -OR20, -COOR20, -CONHR20, -OCONHR20, -OCOR20 and -NH-CO-R20, wherein R20 is linear or branched C1-C20 alkyl or linear or branched C1-C20 alkyl substituted with hydroxy, epoxy, silyl, NH2 or N(C1-C6alkyl)2; or R20 is phenyl, benzyl, -CH CH2, -C≡CH or -C(CH3) CH2, or R2 is a residue of an acrylic acid (CH2 CH-COO-*), methacrylic acid, (CH2 C(CH3)-COO-*) or CH(CH3) CH-COO-* or R2 is a residue of a dicarboxylic acid HOOC-Rc-COO-* or C1-C6alkyl-OOC-Rc-COO-* wherein Rc is C1-C20 alkylene, C1-C20alkenylene or phenylene; or R2 is a residue derived from the reaction of an isocyanate Ra-NCO with the hydroxy group or with the amine group of the vinyl hetero monomer, said residue being Ra-NHCOO-* or Ra-NHCO-NH-* wherein Ra is unsubstituted C1-C20alkyl, C1-C20cycloalkyl or C1-C20alkyl substituted with hydroxy, epoxy, silyl, NH2, NH(C1-C6alkyl) or N(C1-C6alkyl)2; or R2 is a residue derived from the reaction of a diisocyanate residue OCN-Rb-NCO with the hydroxy group or with the amine group of the vinyl hetero monomer, said residue being *-OOC-NH-Rb-NCO or *-HNOC-NH-Rb-NCO or *-OOC-NH-Rb-NHCOR30 wherein Rb is C1-C20 alkylene or C1-C20cycloalkylene or phenylene and R30 is a residue of hydroxyethylacrylate (CH2 CH-COO-(CH2)2-0*), hydroxyethylmethacrylate (CH2 C(CH3)-COO-(CH2)2-0*), hydroxybutylacrylate (CH2 CH-COO-(CH2)4-0*) or hydroxybutylmethacrylate (CH2 C(CH3)-COO-(CH2)4-0*), A is the hetero atom of the vinyl hetero monomer selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and silicon; and if R2 is silyl and M is a direct bond, A is a direct bond; M is a bond or a divalent group linking the heteroatom of the vinyl hetero monomer and the functional end group of the vinyl hetero monomer said M being selected from the group consisting of C1-50 alkylene, C1-50 (hetero)alkylene, arylene and heteroarylene; X is a halogen atom, a nitroxide group or a sulphide group, Zn is a polymer or copolymer segment of random-, gradient- or block-type structure, which is built up from vinylic monomers select