Hydrophilic compounds for optically active devices

A compound of formula (I)

• wherein
• a is 0 or 1;
• a′ is 0 or 1;
• R1, R2 and R3 are at each occurrence independently H, F, Cl, Br, I, alkyl having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, partially or completely halogenated alkyl having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, aryl or heteroaryl;
• one or both of R4 and R5 is a group of formula (II)
• and, if only one group of R4 and R5 is of formula (II) and a′ is 1, the other of R4 and R5 H, F, Cl, Br, I, alkyl having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, partially or completely halogenated alkyl having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, aryl, heteroaryl, or R6—Sp-[X1]a—*;
• or
• one or both of R4 and R5 is a group of formula (II) and if only one group of R4 and R5 is of formula (II) and a′ is 0, the other of R4 and R5 is R6′-Sp-[X1]a—*
• R6′ is a carbyl,
• R6 is a carbyl group for a′=1 and for a′=0 is H;
• Sp is selected from the group consisting of alkanediyl, alkenediyl and alkyndiyl, wherein at least one hydrogen has been replaced with OH;
• and wherein said alkanediyl, alkenediyl and alkyndiyl groups have 6-12 carbon atoms;
• X1, X2 and X3 are independently of each other 0, S or N—R17;
• R10, R11, R12, R13 and R14 are at each occurrence independently of each other H, F, Cl, Br, I, R6′-Sp-[x1]a-* and R15, wherein any two adjacent groups of R10, R11, R12, R13 or R14 that are R15 may also form a ring system;
• R15 is at each occurrence independently alkyl having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, partially or completely halogenated alkyl having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, alkoxy having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, partially or completely halogenated alkoxy having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, thioalkyl having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or partially or completely halogenated thioalkyl having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms;
• and
• R17 is at each occurrence independently H, F, Cl, Br, I, alkyl having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, partially or completely halogenated alkyl having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, aryl or heteroaryl,
• provided that the compound of formula (I) comprises one group R6—Sp-[x1]a-*
• wherein* each indicate the location of the linkage of the group containing the * to the rest of the compound.