Unsaturated copolymers, processes for preparing the same, and compositions containing the same

An unsaturated copolymer of an α-olefin of 2 to 12 carbon atoms and conjugated diene monomer represented by the following formula (I-b):

• wherein
• R1 is an alkyl group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms or an aryl group,
• wherein the constituent units derived from the conjugated diene monomer are contained in the copolymer in the total amount of 0.01 to 30% by mol, and
• said unsaturated copolymer having the following properties:
• (a) in said copolymer, 1,2-addition units (including 3,4-addition units) derived from the conjugated diene monomer (I-b) form double bonds in the side chain of the copolymer, 1,4-addition units derived from the conjugated diene monomer (I-b) form double bonds in the main chain of the copolymer, and the quantity ratio of the double bonds of the side chain derived from the 1,2-addition units to the double bonds of the main chain derived from the 1,4-addition units (side chain double bonds derived from 1,2-addition units/main chain double bonds derived from 1,4-addition units) is in the range of 5/95 to 99/1.

An unsaturated copolymer of an α-olefin of 2 to 12 carbon atoms and a conjugated diene monomer represented by the following formula (I-b):

• wherein
• R1 is an alkyl group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms or an aryl group, said unsaturated copolymer having the following properties:
• (a) in said copolymer, 1,2-addition units (including 3,4-addition units) derived from the conjugated diene monomer (I-b) form double bonds in the side chain of the copolymer, 1,4-addition units derived from the conjugated diene monomer (I-b) form double bonds in the main chain of the copolymer, and the quantity ratio of the double bonds of the side chain derived from the 1,2-addition units to the double bonds of the main chain derived from the 1,4-addition units (side chain double bonds derived from 1,2-addition units/main chain double bonds derived from 1,4-addition units) is in the range of 5/95 to 99/1,
• (b) five-membered rings are present in the main chain of said copolymer, and
• (c) the quantity ratio of the double bonds from all of the addition units to the five-membered rings (total of double bonds from all addition units/five-membered rings) is in the range of 20/80 to 90/10.

An unsaturated random copolymer of an α-olefin of 2 to 12 carbon atoms, an aromatic vinyl compound and a conjugated diene monomer,

• which conjugated diene monomer is represented by the following formula (I):
• wherein
• R1 and R2 are each independently a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group of 1 to 8 carbon atoms or an aryl group, and at least one of R1 and R2 is a hydrogen atom,
• said unsaturated copolymer having the following properties:
• (a) in said copolymer, 1,2-addition units (including 3,4-addition units) derived from the conjugated diene monomer (I) form double bonds in the side chain of the copolymer, 1,4-addition units derived from the conjugated diene monomer (I) form double bonds in the main chain of the copolymer, and the quantity ratio of the double bonds of the side chain derived from the 1,2-addition units to the double bonds of the main chain derived from the 1,4-addition units (side chain double bonds derived from 1,2-addition units/main chain double bonds derived from 1,4-addition units) is in the range of 10/90 to 99/1.