Disclosed is a process for preparing polymers and copolymer blocks of
conjugated dienes with high amounts of branching, commonly referred to as
vinyl content, comprising the use of at least two microstructure control
agents. One of the microstructure control agents can be a bulk
microstructure control agents such as diethyl ether. The other
microstructure control agent is a specific microstructure control agent
such as 1,2-diethoxypropane. The use of a bulk and a specific
microstructure control agent together can allow for the production of
high levels of vinyl content at high polymerization rates without the
undesirable affects experienced with either one alone.