Highly functionalized polymers and a process for making the same

The present invention generally relates to highly functionalized polymers and processes for making the same. More particularly, the highly functionalized polymers of this invention are prepared by using anionic polymerization techniques and then the polymers are end-functionalized in the presence of stabilization compounds. More specifically, the highly functionalized polymers prepared according to this invention are end-functionalized in the presence of at least one lithium alkoxide compound. A process for preparing highly functionalized polymers comprising the steps of admixing anionically-polymerizable monomers and at least one anionic-polymerization initiator to form an admixture of living polymers, adding at least one lithium alkoxide stabilizer to the admixture of living polymers to form a stabilized admixture, and adding a functionalizing agent to the stabilized admixture.