Polymerizable metal-azo and metal-azomethine dyes

A polymerizable metal-azo or metal-azomethine dye, of the formula:

• wherein:
• Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2 each independently represents an arene nucleus, with from 5 to 14 ring atoms each;
• G.sub.1 and G.sub.2 each independently represent a metal ligating group and further wherein G.sub.1 and G.sub.2 may be contained within or pendant from at least one of Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2 ;
• R represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an acylamino group, an alkoxy group, a sulfonamido group, an aryl group, a thiol group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group, an alkylamino group, an arylamino group, an amino group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, a nitro group, a cyano group, a sulfonyl group, a sulfoxyl group, an aryloxy group, a hydroxy group, a thioamido group, a carbamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group, a carboxyl group, a sulfo group, a formyl group, an acyl group, a ureido group, or aryloxycarbonyl group, a silyl group, a carbonato group, or a sulfoalkoxy group;
• L.sub.1 represents any 1.degree., 2.degree., or 3.degree. nitrogen or 1.degree., 2.degree., or 3.degree. phosphorus containing a vinyl group;
• L.sub.2 represents a monodentate or polydentate ligand;
• X represents a nitrogen atom or a methine group;
• M is a divalent or polyvalent transition metal ion where the coordination number is at least four;
• and
• k, m, and n are whole numbers less than or equal to 3.