Polymerizable dichroic dyes

Abstract

New dichroic dyes having a composition with slave materials. The dyes may be used for a dichroic polymer network, a dichroic liquid crystalline polymer film (LCP film) or a dichroic liquid crystalline polymer gel, which for instance find application as electro-optical or optical devices.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A composition comprising at least a dichroic dye of formula (I) and at least one slave material which is selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal and a polymerizable liquid crystal: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein
 X 2 , X 1  are independently from each other NR, 
 R represents hydrogen, unbranched or branched lower alkyl radical, 
 Y 1 , Y 2  independently from each other are a single bond, 
 Z 1  is O, 
 Z 2  is a single bond, 
 n2 is 1, 
 n1, n3, n4, n5, n6 are 0, 
 W 1 , W 4 , W 5 , W 6  are hydrogen, 
 W 2 , W 3  independently from each other are unsubstituted or substituted, straight chain or branched C 1 -C 30  alkyl, in which one —CH— or —CH 2 — group may be replaced by one or more linking group consisting of —O—, —S—, —NR 1 —, —CH(OR 1 )—, —CO—NR 1 —, —NR 1 —CO—, —CO—O—, —O—CO—, —SO 2 — or an aromatic group which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more straight chain or branched lower alkyl radical, —F, —Cl or —OR 1 , and wherein 
 R 1  represents hydrogen, straight chain or branched lower alkyl radical, 
 PG is a polymerizable group consisting of CH 2 ═CQ-COO—, wherein Q is hydrogen or methyl; 
 or 
 a dichroic dye of formula (I), wherein 
 X 1  is S 
 X 2  is single bond or NR, 
 R has the same meaning as mentioned above, 
 Y 1  is S, 
 Y 2  is a single bond or NR, 
 Z 1 , Z 2  are single bond, 
 n1, n6 are 1, 
 n2, n3, n4, n5, are 0, 
 W 2 , W 3 , W 4 , W 5  are hydrogen 
 W 1 , W 6  are independently from each other are unsubstituted or substituted, straight chain or branched C 1 -C 30  alkyl, in which one —CH— or —CH 2 — group may be replaced by one or more linking group consisting of —O—, —S—, —NR 1 —, —CH(OR 1 )—, —CO—NR 1 —, —NR 1 —CO—, —CO—O—, —O—CO—, —SO 2 — or an aromatic group which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more straight chain or branched lower alkyl radical, —F, —Cl or —OR 1 , and wherein 
 R 1  having the same meaning as mentioned above, 
 PG is a polymerizable group consisting of CH 2 ═CQ-COO—, wherein Q is hydrogen or methyl; 
 or 
 a dichroic dye of formula (I), wherein 
 X 1 , X 2  are independently from each other NR 
 Y 1 , Y 2  are independently from each other NR, 
 R has the same meaning as mentioned above, 
 Z 1 , Z 2  are independently from each other a single bond or O 
 n2, n5 are 1, 
 n1, n3, n4, n6, are 0, 
 W 1 , W 6  are hydrogen 
 W 2 , W 3  W 4 , W 5  are independently from each other unsubstituted or substituted, straight chain or branched C 1 -C 30  alkyl, in which one —CH— or —CH 2 — group may be replaced by one or more linking group consisting of —O—, —S—, —NR 1 —, —CH(OR 1 )—, —CO—NR 1 —, —NR 1 —CO—, —CO—O—, —O—CO—, —SO 2 — or an aromatic group which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more straight chain or branched lower alkyl radical, —F, —Cl or —OR 1 , and wherein 
 R 1  having the same meaning as mentioned above, 
 PG is a polymerizable group consisting of CH 2 ═CQ-COO—, wherein Q is hydrogen or methyl. 
 
     
     
       2. A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition additionally comprises at least one chiral polymerizable liquid crystalline compound or at least one chiral component. 
     
     
       3. A process for the preparation of a dichroic polymer network, a dichroic liquid crystalline polymer film (LCP film) or a dichroic liquid crystalline polymer gel, which process comprises polymerizing a composition according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       4. A dichroic polymer network, a dichroic liquid crystalline polymer film (LCP film) or a dichroic liquid crystalline polymer gel comprising a composition according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       5. An electro-optical or optical device, comprising a dichroic polymer network, a dichroic liquid crystalline polymer film (LCP film) or a dichroic liquid crystalline polymer gel according to  claim 4 . 
     
     
       6. An electro-optical or optical device according to  claim 5 , which is represented by a polarizer, an optical film, a security or an authentication device. 
     
     
       7. A dichroic polymer network, a dichroic liquid crystalline polymer film (LCP film) or a dichroic liquid crystalline polymer gel comprising a composition according to  claim 2 .