UV absorbers soluble in polar media

A coating composition comprising a lacquer and an UV-absorbing compound which is soluble in polar media and having the formula (I)

• A-X(-T-Q-P)n (I),
• wherein
• A represents
• wherein
• Y1 and Y2, independently of one another, represent substituents having the formula
• wherein
• r is 0 or 1,
• R1, R2, and R3, independently of one another, represent H, OH, C1-20 alkyl, C4-12 cycloalkyl, C2-20 alkenyl, C1-20 alkoxy, C4-12 cycloalkoxy, C2-20 alkenyloxy, C7-20 aralkyl, halogen, —C≡N, C1-5 haloalkyl, —SO2R′, —SO3H, —SO3M (M=alkali metal), —COOR′, —CONHR′, —CONR′R″, —OCOOR′, —OCOR′, —OCONHR′, (meth)acrylamino, (meth)acryloxy, C6-12 aryl (optionally substituted by C1-12 alkyl, C1-12 alkoxy, CN and/or by halogen), or C3-12 heteroaryl (optionally substituted by C1-12 alkyl, C1-12 alkoxy, CN and/or by halogen)
• and wherein
• R′ and R″ represent —H, C1-20 alkyl, —C4-12 cycloalkyl, C6-12 aryl (optionally substituted by C1-12 alkyl, C1-12 alkoxy, CN and/or by halogen) or C3-12 heteroaryl (optionally substituted by C1-12 alkyl, C1-12 alkoxy, CN and/or by halogen),
• X represents a linear or branched linker, wherein between the O atom of group A and each T group there is a chain of at least 4 atoms selected from the group consisting of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus and silicon in the chain,
• T represents a urethane group —O—(C═O)—NH— or a urea group —NH—(C═O)—NH—,
• Q represents —(CH2)m—, wherein m is 1,2 or 3,
• P represents a mono-, di- or tri-alkoxysilane group, and
• n represents an integer from 1 to 5,
• wherein the lacquer is a hybrid lacquer obtained by a sol-gel process.