Amidation of ester functionalized hydrocarbon polymers

A process for preparing a polymeric amide which comprises the steps of:

• (A) reacting a mixture of (1) functionalized hydrocarbon polymer containing ester functional groups comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of
• (i) substituted alkyl ester functional groups of formula (I):
• ##STR6## wherein Ak is a substituted, linear or branched C.sub.2 to C.sub.10 alkyl group containing at least one electron withdrawing substituent group, and
• (ii) aryl ester functional groups of formula (II):
• ##STR7## wherein Ar is an aryl group selected from an aromatic radical or a substituted aromatic radical,
• wherein at least 50 mole % of the ester functional groups are neo ester functional groups, the hydrocarbon polymer having a number average molecular weight of at least about 500 prior to functionalization, and (2) an amine having at least one reactive --NH.sub.2 moiety, for a time and under conditions sufficient to form amide groups;
• and
• (B) removing from the mixture during step (A) hydroxy compound released from the ester functional groups in forming the amide groups, the released hydroxy compound having a pK.sub.a of less than 12.