RUBBER COMPOSITION AND PNEUMATIC TIRE

A vulcanizable rubber composition for use in a tread of a pneumatic tire is disclosed. The rubber composition comprises, based on 100 parts by weight of elastomer (phr), up to 100 phr of a solution polymerized styrene-butadiene rubber; from 5 to 50 phr of a fatty acid monoester of formula 1 where R is selected from a C1 to C8 linear or branched alkyl, a C1 to C8 linear or branched alkenyl, and a C2 to C6 linear or branched alkyl substituted with from one to five hydroxyl groups; R is a C11 to C21 alkyl or a C11 to C21 alkenyl; from 5 to 50 phr of a hydrocarbon resin having a Tg in a range of from -40 °C to 20°C; less than 10 phr of a petroleum-derived oil; from 50 to 130 phr of silica; and, optionally, from 1 to 50 phr carbon black.