Carboxyl terminated polydienes

A method of preparing a carboxyl terminated polymer from a hydroxyl terminated polymer which method comprises essentially reacting, at a temperature in the range of about 50.degree. to about 150.degree. C., (I) a cyclic anhydride selected from at least one of maleic, chlorendic, phthalic, nadic methyl, and tetrapropenyl, succinic and succinic anhydride substituted with radicals selected from alkyl and alkylene radicals having 2 to 16 carbon atoms with (II) a hydroxyl terminated polymer having a molecular weight in the range of about 400 to about 30,000 and a viscosity at 30.degree. C. of about 2 to about 10,000 poises selected from at least one of (A) polydienes having a hydroxyl functionality in the range of about 2 to about 4 selected from polymers of 1,3-butadiene or isoprene, and copolymers of 1,3-butadiene or isoprene with styrene or acrylonitrile and (B) polyethers having a hydroxyl functionality in the range of about 1.8 to about 4 selected from polyethylene oxide, polypropylene oxide, copolymers of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, polytetrahydrofuran, and copolymers of tetrahydrofuran with ethylene oxide or propylene oxide in the presence of (III) a catalyst selected from at least one of (A) quaternary ammonium salts and (B) halogen-acid salts;

• where the halogen-acid salts of amine are selected from benzylamine hydrobromide, benzylamine hydrochloride, cyclohexylamine hydrochloride, triethylamine hydrochloride, tribenzylamine hydrochloride, tribenzylamine hydrobromide, triethylamine hydrobromide, trimethylamine hydrochloride, trimethylamine hydrobromide, ethylamine hydrochloride and ethylamine hydrobromide, and where the quaternary ammonium salts are selected from:
• distearyldimethylammonium chloride,
• tetrapentylammonium chloride,
• tetraphenylammonium bromide,
• trioctylpropylammonium chloride,
• trioctylpropylammonium bromide,
• cetyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride,
• n-alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride,
• myristyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride,
• tetramethylammonium chloride,
• tetramethylammonium bromide,
• tetraethylammonium chloride,
• cetyltrimethylammonium chloride,
• laurylpyridinium chloride,
• laurylpyridinium bromide,
• cetylpyridinium chloride, cetylpyridinium bromide,
• n-alkyldimethylnaphthylmethylammonium chloride,
• stearyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride,
• diisobutylphenoxyethoxyphenyl-dimethylbenzylammonium chloride,
• diisobutylcresoxyethoxyethyl-dimethylbenzylammonium chloride.