Photoaligning materials

A compound of formula (I)

• wherein,
• M1, M2 and M3 represent independently from each other an unsubstituted or substituted carbocyclic or heterocyclic aromatic or non-aromatic diamine group selected from a monocyclic ring of five or six atoms;
• two adjacent monocyclic rings of five or six atoms, a bicyclic ring system of eight, nine or ten atoms, a tricyclic ring system of thirteen or fourteen atoms, and mono-, bi-, tricyclic rings, which are linked by a straight-chain or branched, substituted or unsubstituted
• C1-C20alkanediyl, which is unsubstituted or substituted by di-(C1-C20alkyl)amino, C1-C6alkyloxy, nitro, cyano and/or chlorine or fluorine;
• and wherein one or more C—, CH—, CH2— group may independently be replaced by a linking group;
• D1, D2 and D3 represent independently from each other an unsubstituted or substituted aliphatic, alicyclic group or carbocyclic or heterocyclic aromatic group substituted with at least two carboxylic acid groups, or activated carboxylic groups, or anhydride groups;
• m1, m2 or m3 represent independently from each other molar fractions of the comonomers with 0<m1<1, 0≤m2≤0, 7 and 0≤m3<1;
• S1 and S2 represent independently from each other a spacer unit,
• E1 and E2 represent independently from each other an aromatic group, an oxygen atom, a sulphur atom, —NH—, —N(C1-C6alkyl)-, —CR4R5, wherein R4 and R5 are independently from each other hydrogen or a cyclic, straight-chain or branched, substituted or unsubstituted C1-C30alkyl, wherein one or more C—, CH—, CH2— group may be independently from each other replaced by a linking group, and with the proviso that at least one of R4 and R5 is not hydrogen;
• A represents an unsubstituted or substituted carbocyclic or heterocyclic aromatic group,
• Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 represent independently from each other a bridging group,
• Q1 and Q2 represent independently from each other a single bond, or a straight-chain or branched, substituted or unsubstituted C1-C20alkanediyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by di-(C1-C20alkyl)amino, C1-C6alkyloxy, nitro, cyano and/or chlorine or fluorine;
• and wherein one or more C—, CH—, CH2— group may independently be replaced by a linking group;
• R2 represents hydrogen or a straight-chain or branched C1-C20alky, which is unsubstituted or substituted by di-(C1-C20alkyl)amino, C1-C6alkyloxy, nitro, cyano and/or chlorine or fluorine;
• and wherein one or more C—, CH—, CH2— group may independently be replaced by a linking group;
• R1 and R3 represent independently from each other hydrogen or CcHαFβ, wherein c is an integer of 0 to 20, and α and β are integers of 0 to 2 c+1, respectively, wherein α+β=2 c+1;
• T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 represent independently from each other hydrogen, halogen, hydroxyl, nitro, cyano or a carboxy group, and/or a cyclic, straight-chain or branched C1-C30alkyl, which is unsubstituted, mono- or poly-substituted with halogen, acryloyloxy, alkylacryloyloxy, alkoxy, alkylcarbonyloxy, alkyloxycarbonyl-oxy, alkyloxocarbonyloxy, vinyl, vinyloxy and/or allyloxy group;
• n1 is 0, 1 or 2,
• n3, n4, n5, nb and n7 represent independently from each other 0, 1, 2 or 3;
• w3 represents 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4;
• w1 and w2 represent independently from each other is 1, 2, 3 or 4,
• with the proviso that if w1 or w2 is 2, 3, or 4, each S1 and S2, E1 and E2, Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4, Q1 and Q2, R2, R1 and R3, T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5, n1, n3, n4, n5, n6 and n7 may be identical or different.