Use of 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzotriazole compounds as an UV absorbing agent in coatings

A method of stabilizing a coating composition comprising a film-forming binder, wherein the coating composition is selected from lacquers, paints for wood, ceramic materials, metals, plastics, or articles coated or stained with organic material, and radiation curable coating compositions, against the effect of light, comprising adding a 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzotriazole compound of formula I

• R(QUV)m (I)
• wherein
• UV is a group of formula II
• wherein
• R1 is H, C1-C20alkyl, C1-C5alkoxy, C1-C5alkoxycarbonyl, C3-C7cycloalkyl, or naphthyl;
• R2 and R3 which may be the same or different are H, C1-C20alkyl, C1-C5alkoxy, C1-C5alkoxycarbonyl, C3-C7cycloalkyl, phenyl, naphthyl or phenyl-C1-C5alkyl;
• R4, R5, R6 and R7 which may be the same or different are H, C1-C5alkyl, C1-C5alkoxy, or halogen;
• R10 is H or C1-C20alkyl;
• Q is O;
• and
• m is 1 and R is selected from C1-C20alkyl, C2-C20alkenyl, C3-C7cycloalkyl which may be substituted with one, two or three substituents independently selected from C1-C5alkyl, halogen, hydroxy and C1-C5alkoxy;
• and -(AO)x—R22, wherein A is —C2H4—, —C3H6— or —C4H8—, R22 is H, C1-C20alkyl, or —CO—R24, wherein R24 is C1-C20alkyl, and x is 1-20;
• or
• m is 2 and R is C1-C20alkylene, C2-C20alkenylene, C3-C7cycloalkylene, or -(AO)x-A-, wherein A is —C2H4—, —C3H6— or —C4H8 and x is 1-20;
• to the coating composition.