Method For Producing Polymeric Compositions Including Functionalized Polymers

A method for producing a functionalized polymer, the method comprising the steps of polymerizing conjugated diene monomer, optionally together with a copolymerizable monomer, within a solvent to produce a polymerization mixture including a polymer having a reactive terminus, coupling a portion of the polymer having a reactive terminus with a hydrocarbyloxysiloxane to produce a polymerization mixture including polymer coupled with the hydrocarbyloxysiloxane and residual polymer having a reactive terminues, reacting the residual polymer having a reactive terminus with a functionalizing agent having at least one hydrocarbyloxy functionality to produce a polymerization mixture including a functionalized polymer and the polymer coupled with the hydrocarbyloxysiloxane, and desolventizing the polymerization mixture including the functionalized polymer and the polymer coupled with the hydrocarbyloxysiloxane.