Non-linear optically active polycarbonate

A non-linear optically active side chain condensation polymer, characterised in that the polymer is a polycarbonate obtained from a monomer mixture comprising:

• an NLO diol satisfying formula 1:
• ##STR10## wherein D is a trivalent donor group comprising 2-10 aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic or heterocyclic carbon atoms, and comprising at least one alkoxy--oxygen atom, at least one sulphur atom, at least one selenium atom, or a nitrogen atom directly or conjugatedly bonded to the benzene ring, and
• wherein
• X stands for --CR.sup.2 .dbd.CR.sup.2 --, --N.dbd.N--, --CR.sup.2 .dbd.N-- or --N.dbd.CR.sup.2 --,
• Y stands for --CN, --NO.sub.2, CR.sup.2 .dbd.C(CN).sub.2, --CF.sub.3, SO.sub.2 R.sup.4, --C(CN).dbd.C(CN).sub.2, barbiturate groups, or thiobarbiturate groups,
• AR stands for a six-membered aromatic ring, a six-membered aromatic ring substituted with one or more R.sup.3 groups, a non-saturated 6 membered ring, a non-saturated six-membered ring substituted with one or more R.sup.3 groups, a five-membered heteroatomic ring containing O, N, S, or Se, a five-membered heteroatomic ring substituted with one or more R.sup.3 groups and containing O, N, S or Se, or a fused ring structure,
• R.sup.1 stands for -halogen, --R.sup.2, --OR.sup.2, --COR.sup.2, --CN or --CF.sub.3
• R.sup.2 stands for --H, -halogen, an alkyl group having 1-6 carbon atoms, or a halo substituted alkyl group having 1-6 carbon atoms,
• R.sup.3 stands for -halogen, --R.sup.2, --OR.sup.2, COR.sup.2, --CN, NO.sub.2, SO.sub.2 R.sup.4 or CF.sub.3,
• R.sup.4 stands for an (halogenated) alkyl group having 1-4 carbon atoms,
• n is an integer from 0 to 4, with the X-groups being the same or different, and
• a compound according to formula 2:
• ##STR11## wherein:
• P stands for --Cl, O--R, an imidazole group or --O--Ph,
• Q stands for --Cl, O--R, an imidazole group or --O--Ph,
• R stands for an alkylene group having 1-6 carbon atoms,
• Ph stands for phenyl,
• A stands for --Ph--, halogenated --Ph--, --Ph--C(CH.sub.3).sub.2 --Ph--, --Ph--SO.sub.2 --Ph--, a cycloalkylene group having 3-24 carbon atoms, a halo substituted cycloalkylene group having 3-24 carbon atoms, an arylene group having 3-20 carbon atoms, or a naphthalene group,
• m is an integer from 0 to 5, with the A-groups being the same or different, with the proviso that the polycarbonate obtained from the polymerisation of bisphenol A bischloroformate and a compound according to the following formula:
• ##STR12## wherein R.sup.1 is alkyl (C.sub.1 -C.sub.6), alkoxy, --Cl, --Br, --OH, --NH.sub.2, --NO.sub.2, or --CN, are excluded.