Functionalized photoreactive compounds

Compounds according to the general formula (I):

• wherein
• A and B each independently are a ring system of 5 to 40 atoms, wherein each ring system includes at least one unsaturation directly connected via electron conjugation (π-π bonding) to the double bond shown in formula (I),
• wherein the ring system may be unsubstituted or mono- or poly-substituted by
• (i) a halogen atom,
• (ii) a hydroxyl group and/or
• (iii) a polar group like nitro, nitrile or a carboxy group, and/or
• (iv) a cyclic, straight-chain or branched alkyl residue having from 1 to 30 carbon atoms, which is unsubstituted, mono- or poly-substituted by methyl, fluorine and/or chlorine, wherein one or more, preferably non-adjacent —CH2— groups independently may be replaced by a group selected from —O—, —CO— —CO—O—, —O—CO—, —NR1—, —NR1—CO—, —CO—NR1—, —NR1—CO—O—, —O—CO—NR1—, —NR1—CO—NR1—, —CH═CH—, —C≡C— and —Si(CH3)2—O—Si(CH3)2—, an aromatic or an alicyclic group, wherein R1 is a hydrogen atom or lower alkyl;
• and/or
• (v) an acryloyloxy, alkoxy, alkylcarbonyloxy, alkyloxocarbonyloxy, methacryloyloxy, vinyl, allyl, vinyloxy and/or allyloxy group, having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, preferably having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms,
• S1 is a single covalent bond or a spacer unit;
• n is 1, 2 or 3;
• X and Y represent groups of which one is a hydrogen atom and the other is an electron withdrawing group, which preferably is selected from the groups —COR2, —COOR2, —COSR2, —CO—NR2, —SOR2, —SOCF3, —SO2CF2COR2, —SOOR2, —C≡S, —NO2, —CF3, —CN, wherein R2 is a hydrogen atom or a straight-chain or branched alkyl or alkylene group, having from 1 to 16 carbon atoms, wherein one or more, preferably non-adjacent —CH2— groups independently may be replaced by a group, selected from —O—, —CO—, —CO—O—, —O—CO—, —C═C—, —C≡C—, or by an optionally substituted alkyl, or by a polymerizable group,
• G is a hydrogen atom, optionally substituted alkyl, or a polymerizable group
• with the proviso, that when Y is —CN and A is unsubstituted phenylene, then B may not be phenylene para-substituted by —CN, —NO2 or —COOH;
• and
• with the proviso that if ring system A is 1,4-phenylene, which is unsubstituted or substituted with halogen, cyano and/or nitro, and ring system B is 1,4-phenylene, which is unsubstituted or substituted with halogen, cyano and/or nitro, or pyrimidine-2,5-diyl, pyridine-2,5-diyl, 2,5-thiophenylenediyl, 2,5-furanylene, 1,4-naphthylene or 2,6-naphthylene, then X is different from —CN and —COO-alkyl having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms.