Branched and star-branched styrene polymers, telomers, and adducts, their synthesis, their bromination, and their uses

A formulation for the preparation of polyurethane, which formulation is characterized by containing, as a flame retardant, a brominated flame retardant composition which comprises a brominated aromatic substrate distribution formed from a polymethylated benzene having 2 to 4 methyl groups in the molecule, and styrene, said brominated aromatic substrate distribution having the formula:

• (CH3)bC6HxBry(CH2(CH2CHC6HiBrj)nCH2CH2C6HiBrj)c (VI)
• wherein each C6HiBrj is a brominated phenyl group and each C6HxBry is a brominated substituted phenyl group and for each molecule of said formula, n is a whole number and is independently in the range of 0≦n≦4;
• b is, independently, a whole number in the range of 0 to 3;
• c is, independently, a whole number in the range of 1 to 4 and wherein when b=0, c is in the range of 2 to 4;
• x is, independently, a whole number in the range of 0 to 3;
• y is, independently, a whole number in the range of 1 to 4;
• i is, independently, a whole number in the range of 0 to 4;
• j is, independently, a whole number in the range of 1 to 5;
• and the sum of x+y+b+c=6 and the sum of i+j=5 for any discrete molecule C6HiBrj brominated phenyl group, and wherein said distribution is further characterized by having an Mn in the range of about 420 to about 2300, an Mw in the range of about 420 to about 3100, an Mz in the range of about 452 to about 4000, and a PD in the range of about 1.00 to about 2.00 and wherein said formulation optionally further comprises at least one flame retardant synergist which is an alkylated triphenylphosphate.