This invention relates to a process for selectively hydrogenating the unsaturated
double bonds of conjugated diene units of a homopolymer or copolymer. By using
a highly active novel homogeneous organo titanium catalyst represented by formula
(I) and lithium hydride (LiH) prepared in solution of organo lithium compound and
hydrogen as a reducing agent, a polymer could be hydrogenated with significantly
high yield and good reproducibility. In addition, this invention is characterized
by a novel method in that when a copolymer containing a conjugated diene and vinyl-substituted
aromatic hydrocarbon, the unsatured double bonds of conjugated diene units are
selectively hydrogenated. In said formula where, Cp is a cyclopentadienyl group
(C5H5); R1 and R2 are the same or different
and are selected from halogen atom; R3 and R4 are the same
of different and are selected from hydrogen atoms, alkyl or alkoxy group containing
1 to 12 carbon atoms, aryl or aryloxy groups containing 6 to 20 carbon atoms and
cycloalkyl groups containing 6 to 20 carbon atoms.
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