Siloxane polymers with quadruple hydrogen bonding units

A polysiloxane having the following general formulae (3a) or (3b):

• in which each R1 independently denotes a substituted or unsubstituted monovalent nonaromatic ethylenically free C1-C20 hydrocarbon radical or an aromatic radical;
• (a) Q 1 and Q2 and Q 3 are identical and denote one or more structural elements that are capable of forming at least four hydrogen bridges and that are attached via a linker through a silicon-carbon bond to the polymer;
• or
• (b) Q1 and Q3 are identical and denote one or more structural elements that are capable of forming at least four hydrogen bridges that are attached via a linker through a silicon-carbon bond to the polymer and Q2 is defined as R1;
• or
• (c) Q1 denotes one or more structural elements that are capable of forming at least four hydrogen bridges that are attached via a linker through a silicon-carbon bond to the polymer and Q2 and Q3 are defined as R1;
• or
• (d) Q2 denotes one or more structural elements that are capable of forming at least four hydrogen bridges that are attached via a linker through a silicon-carbon bond to the polymer and Q1 and Q3 are equal and are defined as R1;
• (e) Q4 denotes one or more structural elements that are capable of forming at least four hydrogen bridges having two linkers that are attached through a silicon-carbon bond to the polymer chain;
• wherein the one or more structural elements Q1-Q4 have the general formula (4) or a tautomer thereof:
• wherein either of R2, R3 or R4 denotes a linking moiety through which the structural elements Q1-Q4 bond to the polysiloxane, and wherein:
• (i) R2 is the linking moiety and R3 and R4 are independently a hydrogen atom, alkyl or oligoethylene group;
• or
• (ii) R2 and R3 or R2 and R4 represent the linking moiety and R4 or R3, respectively, are independently a hydrogen atom, alkyl or oligoethylene group;
• and
• m, n and c are integers such that the mean molecular weight of the polysiloxane ranges from 500 to 250000 Daltons.