Abstract: Functionalized copolymers of .alpha.-olefin and para-alkylstyrene having the formula: ##STR1## in which in which R, R' and R", independently, are hydrogen or primary or secondary alkyl groups; X comprises a functional group, such as --COOH, --OH, --SH, --NH.sub.2, --Cl, --Br, --M, --COOM (M=metals, e.g. Li, Na, K and Ca) and anhydrides; P comprises a polymer having the molecular weight of at least about 500, which can be derived from both step and chain polymerization reactions; Y is a chemical linkage between polymer P and para-alkystyrene side chain, which is also a residue derived from graft reaction; and the combination of a+b+c+d represents the empirical formula of a substantially random functional polymer, where a ranges from about 50 to about 100,000, b, c and d range from 0 to about 10,000, and the sum of c+d is at least 1, and processes for preparing the funcitonalized copolymers are disclosed.

Abstract: Copolymers comprising poly(.alpha.-olefin) having at least few p-alkylstyrene (para-alkylstyrene) groups or/and p-alkylstyrene derivatives within the structure therein, said polymer having monomer units represented by the structural formula: ##STR1## in which R, R' and R" are, independently, either hydrogen, alkyl, or primary or secondary alkyls. Preferably, R is hydrogen and C.sub.1 to C.sub.10 linear and branched alkyl, and most preferably R is hydrogen, C.sub.1 and C.sub.2. R' and R" are hydrogen, C.sub.1 to C.sub.5 alkyl, or C.sub.1 to C.sub.5 primary or secondary alkyl, and most preferably R' and R" are hydrogen. F comprises a hydrogen or a functional group, such as --COOH, --OH, --NH.sub.2, --Cl, --Br, --M, --COOM (M=metals, e.g. Li, Na, K and Ca) etc., or a mixture of functional group and hydrogen. In the copolymer composition, the .alpha.-olefin mole % (m) is between about 5 and 99.9. Preferably, m is between 85 and 99.9, and most preferably m is between 95 and 99.9.