The invention relates to new optical recording materials that have excellent recording and playback quality especially at a wavelength of 350-500 nm. Recording and playback can be effected very advantageously with high sensitivity at the same wavelength, and the storage density that is achievable is significantly higher than in the case of known materials. In addition, the materials according to the invention have very good storage properties before and after recording, even under especially harsh conditions, such as exposure to sunlight or fluorescent lighting, heat and/or high humidity. In addition, their manufacture is simple and readily reproducible using customary coating processes, such as spin-coating.

JP-A-11/34500, JP-A-11/92479 and EP-A-O 903 733 disclose metal and boron

complexes of colorants of formulae and

which can be used at from 520 to 690 nm for optical recording materials such as CD-R or DVD-R. Here too, however, the optical properties, especially the spectral properties in or near the UV range that are necessary for the highest possible storage densities, and the information density per unit surface area are not able to satisfy the highest demands as desired. The information density per unit surface area is far lower than is desirable.

WO 02/082438 discloses the use of ionic salts, including those with metal complex anions, for optical recording materials. Those colorants are always substituted by alkyl, alkenyl, aryl or heteroaryl at the nitrogen atom. Their optical properties do not, however, fully satisfy increased demands. In particular, the refractive index as well as the absorption and the steepness of the absorption band on its long wavelength flank in the solid still leave something to be desired. Conventional optical recording materials therefore satisfy high demands only to some extent, or do not satisfy all demands to an entirely satisfactory degree at the same time.

On the other hand, J. Org. Chem. 67/16, 5753-5772 [2002] describes the synthesis of a number of bis(o-azaheteroaryl)methanes and their coordination properties with respect to divalent transition metals, heteroaryl being 1 ,3-azol-2-yl, 1 ,3-benzazol- 2-yl and azinyl and the transition metals being Zn, Cu, Co, Ni, Hg and Pd. Inter alia 2 : 1 salt complexes of bis(benzothiazol-2-yl)methane and bis(benzoxazol-2-yl)- methane with copper(II) chloride and nickel(II) sulfate, and cobalt(II) chloride and palladium(II) nitrate are disclosed, whereas bis(thiazol-2-yl)methane yields, with deprotonation, neutral 2 : 1 chelates with Zn(II), Cu(II), Ni(II) and Co(II). All subst¬ ances are strongly coloured.

WO 04/079732 is a patent application according to Art. 54(3) EPC and Rule 64.3 PCT, which is directed to metal complexes comprising two individual ligands.

The aim of the invention is an optical recording medium having high information density, sensitivity and data reliability. Such a recording medium should be robust, durable and easy to use. Furthermore, it should be inexpensive to manufacture as a mass-produced product and should require equipment that is as small and inexpensive as possible.

The invention therefore relates to an optical recording medium comprising a substrate, a recording layer and optionally one or more reflecting layers, wherein

or a tautomer of a compound of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV), wherein

Gi and G2 are each independently of the other — (\ , \\ Jl K7

XI and X2 are each independently from the other a direct bond or a chain consisting of from 1 to 8 members each selected independently from the group consisting of CRi2=CRi3, C=CRi2Ri3, CRi2Ri3, C=O, C=S, C=N(Ri4), N(Ri4), O or S, preferably a direct bond or a chain consisting of 1 , 2, 3 or 4 members, most preferred a direct bond or a chain CRi2Ri3, C=O, C=S, C=N(Ri4), N(Ri4), O or S;

Ai, A2 and A3 are CRi5Ri6, C R17 , N(RM), O, S, Se, N=C(Ri8) or CRi9=CR20, and

A4 Js O1 S Or Se;

Mi is a transition metal of groups 9 to 12, preferably Co, Cu, Ni, Pd or Zn, especially Co, Cu or Ni, or is SiR2iR22, GeR2iR22, PR2iR22 or AIR2i;

Qi and Q2 are each independently of the other C(R23) , N or P;

Ri , R2 , R3 , R4 , R5 , Re , R7 , Re , Ri 9 and R20 are each independently of the others hydrogen, Ri0, or C6-Ci2aryl, C4-Ci 2heteroaryl, C7-Ci2aralkyl or C5-Ci2heteroaralkyl each unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals Ri0; or

R5 or R6, preferably R6, is the position of Xi in formula (I) or (III) or the position of X2 in formula (IV), with the proviso that when Xi or X2 is a direct bond or a chain with a length of less than 3 atoms, its position at Gi or G2 is not R5;

Rg , Ri4 and Ri8 are each independently of the others Ci-C24alkyl, C3-C24cycloalkyl, - A -

C2-C24alkenyl, C3-C24CyOlOaI kenyl, Ci-C4alkyl-[O-Ci-C4alkylene]m or CrC4alkyl-[NH- Ci-C4alkylene]m, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R24; or C6-Ci2aryl, C4-Ci 2heteroaryl, C7-Ci2aralkyl or C5-Ci2heteroaralkyl, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals Ri0;

or Rg is the position of Xi in formula (I) or (III) or the position of X2 in formula (IV); and /or R14 is COR9, COOR9, CONR12R13, C(Rg)=NR18, C(ORg)=NR18 or C(NR12R13J=NR18;

or R1 and R2, R3 and R4, R5 and R6, R5 and R18, R5 and Rig, R1 and R3 in formula (II) or (IV), R3 and R5 in formula (I), R5 of G1 and R5 of G2 in formula (III) or (IV) and/or R6 of G1 and R6 of G2 in formula (III) or (IV), together in pairs, are C3-C6alkylene or C3-C6alkenylene, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R24 and/or R32 and may be uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S or N(R14), or 1 ,4-buta-1 ,3-dienylene,

, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more,

where applicable identical or different, radicals R10 and in which 1 or 2 carbon atoms may have been replaced by nitrogen;

R10 and R11 are each independently of the other C(R23)=NR25, C(R23)=NR26 or R28; or R10 is the position of X1 in formula (I) or (III) or the position of X2 in formula (IV);

R12 and R13 are each independently from the other hydrogen, R10 or C6-C12aryl, C4-C12heteroaryl, C7-C12aralkyl or C5-C12heteroaralkyl each unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R10; or

R12 and R13 together are C2-C7alkylene or C2-C7alkenylene, preferably C3-C6alkylene or C3-C6alkenylene, most preferred C4-C5alkylene or C4-C5alkenylene, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R24 and/or R32; Ri5 and Ri6 are each independently from the other Ci-C5alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R24,

Ri7 is C2-C7alkylene, preferably C4-C5alkylene, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R24 and may be uninterrupted or interrupted by O, S or N(Ri4),

R2i and R22 are each independently of the others hydroxy, Ci-Ci2alkoxy, C3-Ci2cycloalkoxy, Ci-Ci2alkylthio, Ci-Ci2alkyl, C3-Ci 2cycloalkyl, C2-Ci 2alkenyl, C3-Ci2cycloalkenyl, C6-Ci2aryl, C4-Ci 2heteroaryl, C7-Ci2aralkyl or C5-Ci2heteroaralkyl, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, halogen, hydroxy, Ci-Ci2alkoxy or C3-Ci2cycloalkoxy radicals;

R23 is hydrogen, cyano, hydroxy, CrCi2alkoxy, C3-Ci2cycloalkoxy, CrCi2alkylthio, C3-Ci2cycloalkylthio, amino, NHR2g, NR30R3I, R32, halogen, nitro, formyl, N=N-R32, C(R33)=CR26R27, C(R33)=NR25, COO-R30, carboxy, carbamoyl, CONH-R30, CONR30R3I, N=CR25R34, or Ci-Ci2alkyl, C3-Ci2cycloalkyl, C2-Ci2alkenyl or C3-Ci2cycloalkenyl each unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, halogen, hydroxy, Ci-Ci2alkoxy or C3-Ci2cycloalkoxy radicals;

R24 is halogen, hydroxy, O-R30, 0-CO-R30, S-R30, NH2 , NH-R30, NR30R3I, NH3+, NH2R30+, NHR30R3/, NR29R30R3/, NR30-CO-R29, NR30COOR29, cyano, formyl, COO-R30, carboxy, carbamoyl, CONH-R30, CONR30R3I, ureido, NH-CO-NHR29, NR30-CO-NHR29, phosphato, PR30R29, POR30OR29, P(=O)OR30OR29, OPR30R29, OPR30OR29, OP(=O)R30OR29, OPO3R30, OP(=O)OR30OR29, SO2R30, sulfato, sulfo or Ci-Ci2alkoxy or Ci-Ci2cycloalkoxy each unsubstituted or mono- or poly-substituted by halogen;

R26 and R27 are each independently of the other NR30R3I, CN, CONH2 , CONHR25, CONR25R34 or COOR34; R28 is halogen, nitro, cyano, thiocyanato, hydroxy, O-R25, O-CO-R25, S-R25, CHO, COR34, CHOR25OR35, CR34OR25OR35, R36, N=N-R36, N=CR25R34, N=CR26R27, NH2 , NH-R25, NR25R34, NH3+, NH2R25+, NHR25R34+, NR25R34R35+, CONH2 , CONHR25, CONR25R34, SO2R25, SO2NH2 , SO2NHR25, SO2NR25R34, COOH, COOR25, OCOOR25, NHCOR25, NR25COR35, NHCOOR25, NR25COOR35, ureido, NR25-CO-NHR35, B(OH)2 , B(OH)(OR25), B(OR25)OR35, phosphato, PR25R35, POR25OR35, P(=O)OR25OR35, OPR25R35, OPR25OR35, OP(=O)R25OR35, OP(=O)OR25OR35, OPO3R25, sulfato, sulfo, or Ci-Ci2alkyl, C3-Ci2cycloalkyl, C2-Ci2alkenyl, C3-Ci2cycloalkenyl, Ci-Ci2alkylthio, C3-Ci2cycloalkylthio, C2-Ci2alkenylthio, C3-Ci2cycloalkenylthio, Ci-Ci2alkoxy, C3-Ci2cycloalkoxy C2-Ci2alkenyloxy or C3-Ci2cycloalkenyloxy each unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R24;

R29, R30 and R3i are each independently of the others Ci-Ci2alkyl, C3-Ci 2cycloalkyl, C2-Ci2alkenyl, C3-Ci2cycloalkenyl, C6-Ci2aryl, C4-Ci2heteroaryl, C7-Ci2aralkyl or C5-Ci2heteroaralkyl; or

R30 and R3i together with the common nitrogen are pyrrolidine, piperidine, piperazine or morpholine, each of which is unsubstituted or mono- to tetra- substituted by Ci-C4alkyl;

R32 is C6-Ci2aryl, C4-Ci2heteroaryl, C7-Ci2aralkyl or C5-Ci2heteroaralkyl, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R28;

R33 is hydrogen, R28, or C6-Ci 2aryl, C4-Ci2heteroaryl, C7-Ci 2aralkyl or C5-Ci2heteroaralkyl each unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R28;

R25, R34 and R35 are each independently of the others R36, or Ci-Ci2alkyl, C3-Ci2cycloalkyl, C2-Ci2alkenyl or C3-Ci2cycloalkenyl each unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, halogen, hydroxy, Ci-Ci2alkoxy or C3-Ci2cycloalkoxy radicals; or Ri9 and R25 together, R23 and R25 together and/or R25 and R35 together are C2-Ci2alkylene, C3-Ci2cycloalkylene, C2-Ci2alkenylene or C3-Ci2cycloalkenylene, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, halogen, hydroxy, Ci-Ci2alkoxy or C3-Ci2cycloalkoxy radicals; or

R25 and R34 together with the common nitrogen are pyrrolidine, piperidine, piperazine or morpholine, each of which is unsubstituted or mono- to tetra- substituted by Ci-C4alkyl; or carbazole, phenoxazine or phenothiazine, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R37;

R36 is C6-Ci2aryl, C4-Ci2heteroaryl, C7-Ci2aralkyl or C5-Ci2heteroaralkyl, each of which is unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R37;

R37 is nitro, SO2NHR3O1 SO2NR3ORSI , or Ci-Ci2alkyl, C3-Ci2cycloalkyl, Ci-Ci2alkyl- thio, C3-Ci2cycloalkylthio, Ci-Ci2alkoxy or C3-Ci2cycloalkoxy each unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R24; and

m is a number from 1 to 10.

When R5 forms a bridge with R6, R5 preferably does not at the same time form a bridge with Ri8 or R19.

It will be understood that acidic groups, such as carboxy, sulfo, sulfate and phosphato, may also be in the form of a salt, for example an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium or phosphonium salt, such as Li+, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Fe2+, Co2+, Zn2+, Sn2+, La3+, ammonium, methylammonium, ethylammonium, isopropylammonium, ™Primene 81 -R, ™ Rosin Amine D, penta- decylammonium, ™Primene JM-T, dicyclohexylammonium, tetramethylammonium, tetraethylammonium, tetrabutylammonium, benzyltrimethylammonium, benzyl- triethylammonium, methyltrioctylammonium, tridodecylmethylammonium, tetra- butylphosphonium, tetraphenylphosphonium, butyltriphenylphosphonium or ethyl- triphenylphosphonium, or any of the cations B-1 to B-169 mentioned in US-6 225 024, to which individually reference is expressly made here.

Halogen is chlorine, bromine, fluorine or iodine, preferably fluorine or chlorine, especially fluorine on alkyl (for example trifluoromethyl, α,α,α-trifluoroethyl or perfluorinated alkyl groups, such as heptafluoropropyl) and chlorine on aryl, heteroaryl or on the aryl moiety of aralkyl or on the heteroaryl moiety of hetero- aralkyl.

Alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl or cycloalkenyl can be straight-chain or branched, or monocyclic or polycyclic. Alkyl is, for example, methyl, straight-chain C2-C24alkyl or preferably branched C3-C24alkyl. Alkenyl is, for example, straight-chain C2-C2oalkenyl or preferably branched C3-C24alkenyl, in particular vinyl, allyl, C(R23)=CHR27 or C(R23)=CR26R27- The invention therefore relates especially also to compounds of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV) containing branched C3-C24alkyl or branched C3-C24alkenyl, and also to optical recording materials comprising such compounds. Ci-C24Alkyl is therefore, for example, methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, isobutyl, tert-butyl, n-pentyl, 2-pentyl, 3-pentyl, 2,2-dimethyl- propyl, n-hexyl, n-octyl, 1 ,1 ,3,3-tetramethylbutyl, 2-ethylhexyl, nonyl, decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, hexadecyl, octadecyl, eicosyl, heneicosyl, docosyl or tetracosyl. C3-C24Cycloalkyl is, for example, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, trimethylcyclohexyl, menthyl, thujyl, bornyl, 1-adamantyl or 2-adamantyl.

C2-C20Alkenyl and C3-C20cycloalkenyl are C2-C20alkyl and C3-C20cycloalkyl that is mono- or poly-unsaturated, wherein two or more double bonds may be isolated or conjugated, for example vinyl, allyl, 2-propen-2-yl, 2-buten-1-yl, 3-buten-1-yl, 1 ,3- butadien-2-yl, 2-cyclobuten-1-yl, 2-penten-1-yl, 3-penten-2-yl, 2-methyl-1-buten-3- yl, 2-methyl-3-buten-2-yl, 3-methyl-2-buten-1-yl, 1 ,4-pentadien-3-yl, 2-cyclopenten- 1-yl, 2-cyclohexen-1-yl, 3-cyclohexen-1-yl, 2,4-cyclohexadien-1-yl, 1-p-menthen-8- yl, 4(10)-thujen-10-yl, 2-norbornen-1-yl, 2,5-norbornadien-1-yl, 7,7-dimethyl-2,4- norcaradien-3-yl or the various isomers of hexenyl, octenyl, nonenyl, decenyl, dodecenyl, tetradecenyl, hexadecenyl, octadecenyl, eicosenyl, heneicosenyl, docosenyl, tetracosenyl, hexadienyl, octadienyl, nonadienyl, decadienyl, dodeca- dienyl, tetradecadienyl, hexadecadienyl, octadecadienyl or eicosadienyl.

C7-Ci2Aralkyl is, for example, benzyl, 2-benzyl-2-propyl, β-phenyl-ethyl, 9-fluorenyl, α,α-dimethylbenzyl, ω-phenyl-butyl or ω-phenyl-hexyl. When C7-Ci2aralkyl is substituted, both the alkyl moiety and the aryl moiety of the aralkyl group can be substituted, the latter alternative being preferred.

C6-Ci2Aryl is, for example, phenyl, naphthyl, biphenylyl or 2-fluorenyl.

C4-Ci2Heteroaryl is an unsaturated or aromatic radical having 4n+2 conjugated π-electrons, for example 2-thienyl, 2-furyl, 2-pyridyl, 2-thiazolyl, 2-oxazolyl, 2-imidazolyl, isothiazolyl, triazolyl or any other ring system consisting of thiophene, furan, pyridine, thiazole, oxazole, imidazole, isothiazole, triazole, pyridine and benzene rings and unsubstituted or substituted by from 1 to 6 ethyl, methyl, ethylene and/or methylene substituents, for example benzotriazolyl, and in the case of N-heterocycles where applicable also those in the form of their N-oxides.

C5-Ci2Heteroaralkyl is, for example, Ci-C8alkyl substituted by C4-Ci iheteroaryl.

Furthermore, aryl and aralkyl can also be aromatic groups bonded to a metal, for example in the form of metallocenes of transition metals known perse, more

especially

The transition metal Mi is preferably in the form of a doubly positively charged cation, for example Co2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Pd2+ Or Zn2+, especially Co2+, Cu2+ or Ni2+.

The compound of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV) may also be a cation which has been neutralised with an inorganic, organic or organometallic anion, for example when one or more ammonium groups are present or when the transition metal has one or more excess positive charges, such as in Co3+. The inorganic, organic or organometallic anion may be, for example, the anion of a mineral acid, of the conjugated base of an organic acid (for example an alcoholate, phenolate, carboxylate, sulfonate or phosphonate) or an organometallic complex anion, for example fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, perchlorate, periodate, nitrate, hydrogen carbonate, Vz carbonate, Vz sulfate, Ci-C4alkyl sulfate, hydrogen sulfate, Vz phosphate, Vz hydrogen phosphate, dihydrogen phosphate, Vz Ci-C4alkanephosphonate, d^alkane-d-C^alkylphosphonate, di-Ci-C4alkylphosphinate, tetrafluoroborate, hexafluorophosphate, hexafluoroantimonate, acetate, trifluoroacetate, heptafluorobutyrate, Vz oxalate, methanesulfonate, trifluoromethanesulfonate, benzenesulfonate, tosylate, p-chlorobenzenesulfonate, p-nitrobenzenesulfonate, phenolate, benzoate or a negatively charged metal complex.

The person skilled in the art will readily recognise that it is also possible to use other anions with which he is familiar. It will be self-evident to him that Vx of an inorganic, organic or organometallic anion having x negative charges, for example Vz ■ SO42", is a multiply charged anion which neutralises several singly charged cations or a cation having x charges, as the case may be.

Phenolates or carboxylates are, for example, of formula

(wherein R38, R39 and R40 are each independently

of the others hydrogen, R28, or C6-Ci2aryl, C4-Ci 2heteroaryl, C7-Ci2aralkyl or C5-Ci2heteroaralkyl each unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R28, for example anions of Ci-Ci2alkylated, especially tert-C4-C8alkylated, phenols and benzoic acids, such as

Preference is given to compounds of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV) wherein

Ai and A2 are each independently of the other N(Ri4), O, S or Se and A3 is C(Ci-C5alkyl)2 , C(C4-C5alkylene), N(R14), O, S, Se, N=C(Ri8) or unsubstituted or Rig-substituted CH=CH, especially wherein Ai, A2 and A3 are each independently of the others O, S or N(R14) and/or Q1 and Q2 are C(R23) or N;

G1 and G2 are each independently of the other or

Ri, R2, R3, R4, R5, Re, R7, R8 and Rig are each independently of the others hydrogen, R10, or C6-C12aryl or C7-C12aralkyl each unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R10;

Rg, R14 and R18 are each independently of the others unsubstituted or R10- substituted C-i-Cealkyl; or

Rg is the position of X1 in formula (I) or (III) or the position of X2 in formula (IV);

R10 and R28 are each independently of the other halogen, nitro, cyano, 0-R25, formyl, CH=C(CN)2, CH=C(CN)CONH2, CH=C(CN)CONHR25, CH=C(CN)CONR25R34, CH=C(CN)COOR25, CH=C(COOR25)COOR34, CONH2, CONHR25, CONR25R34, SO2CrC12alkyl, SO2NH2, SO2NHR25, SO2NR25R34, COOH, COOR25, NHCOR25, NR25COR35, NHCOOR25, NR25COOR35, ureido, P(=O)OR25θR35, sulfo, or Ci-Ci2alkyl, d-Ci2alkylthio or Ci-Ci2alkoxy each unsub- stituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, radicals R24;

R23 is hydrogen, cyano, halogen, nitro, formyl, N=N-R32, C(Ri9)=CR26R27, C(Ri9)=NR25, COO-R30, carboxy, carbamoyl, CONH-R30, CONR30R31, or d-Ci2alkyl unsubstituted or substituted by one or more halogen substituents;

R24 is halogen, hydroxy, O-R30, amino, NH-R30, NR30R3I, NR30-CO-R2g, NR30COOR29, cyano, COO-R30, carboxy, CONH-R30, CONR30R31, sulfate, sulfo, or CrC12alkoxy unsubstituted or mono- or poly-substituted by halogen;

R25, R34 and R35 are each independently of the others CrC12alkyl unsubstituted or substituted by one or more, where applicable identical or different, halogen, hydroxy or CrC12alkoxy radicals, or unsubstituted C6-C12aryl or C7-C12aralkyl; or

R25 and R34 together with the common nitrogen are morpholine, or piperidine N- substituted by CrC4alkyl;

R2g, R30 and R31 are each independently of the others CrC12alkyl, C2-C12alkenyl, C6-C12aryl or C7-C12aralkyl; or

R30 and R31 together with the common nitrogen are morpholine, or piperidine N- substituted by CrC4alkyl;

R36 is unsubstituted or substituted C6-C12aryl or C7-C12aralkyl, especially a metallocenyl radical; and/or

m is a number from 1 to 4, or a tautomer thereof.

Special preference is given to compounds of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV), wherein

Q1 and Q2 are N or C(R23); G1 and G2 are -(\ I , \χ Jl or "6 ; Ai, A2 and A3 are S or CRig=CH, especially S, and Xi and X2 are

direct bonds or Ci-C3alkylene bridges;

R5 and R8 are independently from each other hydrogen or R28;

R2, R4 and R6 are independently from each other hydrogen or unsubstituted or substituted Ci-C4alkyl, in particular unsubstituted or substituted methyl or ethyl;

R23 is hydrogen, cyano, COO-R30 or Ci-Ci2alkyl; and

R28 is unsubstituted or substituted Ci-Ci2alkyl, 0-R25 or an electron withdrawing group, especially Ci-Ci2alkyl either unsubstituted or substituted by halogen, hydroxy or 0-R25, for example CH2OH or CF3, CH=C(CN)2, COOR25, COR34, CHO, ureido, CONR30R3I, SO2R30, P(=O)OR25OR35, halogen, nitro or cyano.

Those preferred meanings apply both individually and in any combination. The compounds of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV) generally exhibit more advantageous properties, the more preferred individual features they have.

Also preferred are compounds of formula (I) ,(II), (III) or (IV) wherein

unsubstituted or substituted , f yN NY CrC4alkyl

ΓCN N 0_CrC4alkyl, vr Xj , vl lΛ\CrC4i

or is for example methyl, ethyl,

isopropyl, 2-butyl, isobutyl or tert.-butyl, preferably methyl.

The recording layer advantageously comprises a compound of formula (I), (II), (III)

or (IV) or a mixture of such compounds as main component, for example at least

30 % by weight, preferably at least 60 % by weight, especially at least 80 % by

weight. Further customary constituents are possible, for example other

chromophores (for example those disclosed in WO 01 /75873, or others having an

absorption maximum at from 300 to 1000 nm), stabilisers, 1O2-, triplet- or

luminescence-quenchers, melting-point reducers, decomposition accelerators or

any other additives that have already been described in optical recording media.

Preferably, stabilisers or fluoresence-quenchers are added if desired.

When the recording layer comprises further chromophores, the amount of such

chromophores should preferably be small, so that the absorption thereof at the

wavelength of the inversion point of the longest-wavelength flank of the absorption of the entire solid layer is a fraction of the absorption of the pure compound of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV) in the entire solid layer at the same wavelength, advantageously at most V3, preferably at most Vs, especially at most V10. The absorption maximum is preferably higher than 425 nm, especially higher than 500 nm.

Stabilisers, 1O2-, triplet- or luminescence-quenchers are, for example, metal complexes of N- or S-containing enolates, phenolates, bisphenolates, thiolates or bisthiolates or of azo, azomethine or formazan dyes, such as bis(4-dimethylamino- dithiobenzil)nickel [CAS N0 38465-55-3], ®lrgalan Bordeaux EL, ®Cibafast N or similar compounds, hindered phenols and derivatives thereof (optionally also as counter-ions X), such as ®Cibafast AO, o-hydroxyphenyl-triazoles or -triazines or other UV absorbers, such as ®Cibafast W or ®Cibafast P or hindered amines (TEMPO or HALS, also as nitroxides or NOR-HALS, optionally also as counter-ions X), and also as cations diimmonium, Paraquat™ or Orthoquat™ salts, such as ®Kayasorb IRG 022, ®Kayasorb IRG 040, optionally also as radical ions, such as N,N,N',Nl-tetrakis(4-dibutylaminophenyl)-p-phenyleneamine-am monium hexa- fluorophosphate, hexafluoroantimonate or perchlorate. The latter are available from Organica (Wolfen / DE); ®Kayasorb brands are available from Nippon Kayaku Co. Ltd., and ®lrgalan and ®Cibafast brands are available from Ciba Spezialitaten- chemie AG.

Many such structures are known, some of them also in connection with optical recording media, for example from US-5 219 707, JP-A-06/199045, JP-A-07/76169, JP-A-07/262604 or JP-A-2000/272241. They may be, for example, salts of the metal complex anions disclosed above with any desired cations, for example the cations disclosed above, or metal complexes, illustrated, for example, by a

compound of formula The person skilled in the art will know from other optical information media, or will easily identify, which additives in which concentration are particularly well suited to which purpose. Suitable concentrations of additives are, for example, from 0.001 to 1000% by weight, preferably from 1 to 50% by weight, based on the recording medium of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV).

The optical recording materials according to the invention exhibit excellent spectral properties of the solid amorphous recording layer. The refractive index is extraordinarily high, in some cases even above 2.5. By virtue of an aggregation tendency in the solid that is surprisingly low for such compounds, the absorption band is narrow and intense, the absorption band being especially steep on the long-wavelength side. Crystallites are unexpectedly and very advantageously not formed or are formed only to a negligible extent. The reflectivity of the layers in the range of the writing and reading wavelength is very high in the unwritten state.

The thermal stability is also surprisingly improved, as compared with previously known compounds. Thus, the danger of data being accidentally altered by heat or multiple reading with a low intensity laser is minimized, while the decomposition behaviour remains as desired sharp when using a laser of higher (writing) energy, enabling marks to be recorded surprisingly efficiently.

By virtue of those excellent layer properties it is possible to obtain a rapid optical recording having high sensitivity, high reproducibility and geometrically very precise mark boundaries, the refractive index and the reflectivity changing substantially, which gives a high degree of contrast. The differences in the mark lengths and the interval distances ("jitter") are very small, which enables a high storage density to be obtained using a relatively thin recording channel with a narrow track spacing ("pitch"). In addition, the recorded data are played back with an astonishingly low error rate, so that error correction requires only a small amount of storage space.

By virtue of the fully unexpected excellent solubility, including in apolar solvents, solutions can be used even in high concentrations without troublesome precipitation, for example during storage, so that problems during spin-coating are largely eliminated.

Recording and playback can take place at the same wavelength, therefore advantageously requiring a simple optical system with a single laser source of advantageously from 350 to 500 nm, preferably from 370 to 450 nm. Especially preferred is the UV range from 370 to 390 nm, especially approximately 380 nm, or especially at the edge of the visible range of from 390 to 430 nm, more especially approximately 405 ± 5 nm. In the field of compact, blue or violet laser diodes (such as Nichia GaN 405 nm) with an optical system of high numerical aperture, the marks can be so small and the tracks so narrow that up to about 20 to 25 Gb per recording layer is achievable on a 120 mm disc. At 380 nm it is possible to use indium-doped UV-VCSELs (Vertical-Cavity Surface-Bnitting Laser), which laser source already exists as a prototype [Jung Han et al., see MRS Internet J. Nitride Semicond. Res. 5S1 , W6.2 (2000)].

The invention therefore relates also to a method of recording or playing back data, wherein the data on an optical recording medium according to the invention are recorded or played back at a wavelength of from 350 to 500 nm.

The recording medium is based on the structure of known recording media and is, for example, analogous to those mentioned above. It may be composed, for example, of a transparent substrate, a recording layer comprising at least one of the compounds of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV), a reflector layer and a covering layer, the writing and readout being effected through the substrate.

Suitable substrates are, for example, glass, minerals, ceramics and thermosetting and thermoplastic plastics. Preferred supports are glass and homo- or co-polymeric plastics. Suitable plastics are, for example, thermoplastic polycarbonates, polyamides, polyesters, polyacrylates and polymethacrylates, polyurethanes, polyolefins, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl idene fluoride, polyimides, thermosetting polyesters and epoxy resins. Special preference is given to polycarbonate substrates which can be produced, for example, by injection-moulding. The substrate can be in pure form or may comprise customary additives, for example UV absorbers or dyes, as proposed e.g. in JP-A-04/167239 as light stabilisation for the recording layer. In the latter case it may be that in the range of the writing wavelength (emission wavelength of the laser) the dye added to the support substrate has no or at most only very low absorption, preferably up to a maximum of about 20% of the laser light focussed onto the recording layer.

The substrate is advantageously transparent over at least a portion of the range from 350 to 500 nm, so that it is permeable to, for example, at least 80% of the incident light of the writing or readout wavelength. The substrate is advantageously from 10 μm to 2 mm thick, preferably from 100 to 1200 μm thick, especially from 600 to 1100 μm thick, with a preferably spiral guide groove (track) on the coating side, a groove depth of from 10 to 200 nm, preferably from 80 to 150 nm, a groove width of from 100 to 400 nm, preferably from 150 to 250 nm, and a spacing between two turns of from 200 to 600 nm, preferably from 350 to 450 nm. Grooves of different cross-sectional shape are known, for example rectangular, trapezoidal or V-shaped. Analogously to the known CD-R and DVD-R media, the guide groove may additionally undergo a small periodic or quasi-periodic lateral deflection (wobble), so that synchronisation of the speed of rotation and the absolute position¬ ing of the reading head (pick-up) are made possible. Instead of, or in addition to, the deflection, the same function can be performed by markings between adjacent grooves (pre-pits).

The recording medium is applied, for example, by application of a solution by spin- coating, the objective being to produce a layer that is as amorphous as possible, the thickness of which layer is advantageously from 0 to 40 nm, preferably from 1 to 20 nm, especially from 2 to 10 nm, on the surface ("land") and, depending upon the geometry of the groove, advantageously from 20 to 150 nm, preferably from 50 to 120 nm, especially from 60 to 100 nm, in the groove.

Reflecting materials suitable for the reflector layer include especially metals, which provide good reflection of the laser radiation used for recording and playback, for example the metals of Main Groups 13- 15 and of the Sub-Groups 3- 12 of the Periodic Table of the Elements. Al, In, Sn, Pb, Sb, Bi, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, Hg, Sc, Y, La, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Fe, Co, Ni, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt and the lanthanide metals Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu and alloys thereof are especially suitable. On account of its high reflectivity and ease of production special preference is given to a reflective layer of aluminium, silver, gold or an alloy thereof (for example a white gold alloy), especially aluminium on economic and ecological grounds. The reflector layer is advantageously from 5 to 200 nm thick, preferably from 10 to 100 nm thick, especially from 40 to 60 nm thick, but reflector layers of greater thickness, for example 1 mm thick or even more, are also possible.

Materials suitable for the covering layer include chiefly plastics, which are applied in a thin layer to the reflector layer either directly or with the aid of adhesion promoters. It is advantageous to select mechanically and thermally stable plastics having good surface properties, which can be modified further, for example written on. The plastics may be thermosetting plastics and thermoplastic plastics. Directly applied covering layers are preferably radiation-cured (e.g. using UV radiation) coatings, which are particularly simple and economical to produce. A wide variety of radiation-curable materials are known. Examples of radiation-curable monomers and oligomers are acrylates and methacrylates of diols, triols and tetrols, poly- imides of aromatic tetracarboxylic acids and aromatic diamines having d-C4alkyl groups in at least two ortho-positions of the amino groups, and oligomers with dialkylmaleinimidyl groups, e.g. dimethylmaleinimidyl groups. For covering layers that are applied using adhesion promoters it is preferable to use the same materials as those used for the substrate layer, especially polycarbonates. The adhesion promoters used are preferably likewise radiation-curable monomers and oligomers. Instead of the covering layer applied using an adhesion promoter there may also be used a second substrate comprising a recording and reflector layer, so that the recording medium is playable on both sides. Preference is given to a symmetrical structure, the two parts being joined together at the reflector side by an adhesion promoter directly or by way of an intermediate layer. In such a structure, the optical properties of the covering layer, or the covering materials, are essentially unimportant per se provided that, where applicable, curing thereof e.g. by UV radiation is achieved. The function of the covering layer is to ensure the mechanical strength of the recording medium as a whole and, if necessary, the mechanical strength of thin reflector layers. If the recording medium is sufficiently robust, for example when a thick reflector layer is present, it is even possible to dispense with the covering layer altogether. The thickness of the covering layer depends upon the thickness of the recording medium as a whole, which should preferably be a maximum of about 2 mm thick. The covering layer is preferably from 10 μm to 1 mm thick.

The recording media according to the invention may also have additional layers, for example interference layers or barrier layers. It is also possible to construct record¬ ing media having a plurality of (for example from two to ten) recording layers. The structure and the use of such materials are known to the person skilled in the art. Where present, interference layers are preferably arranged between the recording layer and the reflecting layer and/or between the recording layer and the substrate and consist of a dielectric material, for example as described in EP-A-O 353 393 of TiO2, Si3N4, ZnS or silicone resins.

The recording media according to the invention can be produced by processes known per se, it being possible for various methods of coating to be employed depending upon the materials used and their function.

Suitable coating methods are, for example, immersion, pouring, brush-coating, blade-application and spin-coating, as well as vapour-deposition methods carried out under a high vacuum. When, for example, pouring methods are used, solutions in organic solvents are generally employed. When solvents are employed, care should be taken that the supports used are insensitive to those solvents. Suitable coating methods and solvents are described, for example, in EP-A-O 401 791.

The recording layer is applied preferably by the application of a dye solution by spin-coating, solvents that have proved satisfactory being especially alcohols, e.g. 2-methoxyethanol, isopropanol or n-butanol, hydroxyketones, for example diacetone alcohol or 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-butanone, hydroxy esters, for example lactic acid methyl ester or isobutyric acid methyl ester, or preferably fluorinated alcohols, for example 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol or 2,2,3, 3-tetrafluoro-1-propanol, and mixtures thereof. Further suitable solvents are well-known in the art and disclosed, for example, in EP-A-O 483 387.

The application of the metallic reflector layer is preferably effected by sputtering or by vapour-deposition in vacuo. Such techniques are known and are described in specialist literature (e.g. J. L. Vossen and W. Kern, "Thin Film Processes", Acad- emic Press, 1978). The operation can advantageously be carried out continuously and achieves good reflectivity and a high degree of adhesiveness of the metallic reflector layer.

Recording is carried out in accordance with known methods by writing pits (marks) of fixed or variable length by means of a modulated, focussed laser beam guided at a constant or variable speed over the surface of the recording layer. Readout of information is carried out according to methods known per se by registering the change in reflection using laser radiation, for example as described in "CD-Player und R-DAT Recorder" (Claus Biaesch-Wiepke, Vogel Buchverlag, Wurzburg 1992).The person skilled in the art will be familiar with the requirements.

The information-containing medium according to the invention is especially an optical information material of the WORM type. It can be used, for example, analogously to CD-R (compact disc - recordable) or DVD-R (digital video disc - recordable) in computers, and also as storage material for identification and security cards or for the production of diffractive optical elements, for example holograms.

Alternatively, however, there are also recording media which differ substantially from CD-R and DVD-R and in which recording and playback take place not through the substrate but through the covering layer ("in-groove recording"). Accordingly, the respective roles of the covering layer and the substrate, especially the geometry and the optical properties, are reversed in comparison with the structure described above. Analogous concepts are described a number of times in Proceedings SPIE-lnt. Soc. Opt. Eng. 1999, 3864 for digital video recordings in conjunction with a blue GaN laser diode. For such recording media, which are especially suitable for a high storage density and have correspondingly small marks ("pits"), precise focussing is important, so that the manufacturing process, while essentially analogous, is considerably more awkward.

The compounds of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV) according to the invention, however, also meet the increased demands of an inverse layer structure surprisingly well. Preference is therefore given to an inverse layer structure having the layer sequence substrate, reflector layer, recording layer and covering layer. The recording layer is therefore located between the reflector layer and the covering layer. A thin covering layer approximately from 50 to 400 μm in thickness is especially advantageous (typically 100 μm at a numerical aperture of 0.85).

The recording and reflector layers in an inverse layer structure have in principle the same functions as indicated above. As with the groove geometry, they therefore usually have dimensions within the ranges indicated above.

The inverse layer structure requires particularly high standards, which the compounds used according to the invention fulfil astonishingly well, for example when the recording layer is applied to the metallic reflector layer and especially when a covering layer is applied to the recording layer, the covering layer being required to provide the recording layer with adequate protection against rubbing, photo-oxidation, fingerprints, moisture and other environmental effects and advantageously having a thickness in the range of from 0.01 to 0.5 mm, preferably in the range of from 0.05 to 0.2 mm, especially in the range of from 0.08 to 0.13 mm.

The covering layer preferably consists of a material that exhibits a transmission of 80% or above at the writing or readout wavelength of the laser. Suitable materials for the covering layer include, for example, those materials mentioned above, but especially polycarbonate (such as Pure Ace® or Panlite®, Teijin Ltd), cellulose triacetate (such as Fujitac®, Fuji Photo Film) or polyethylene terephthalate (such as Lumirror®, Toray Industry), special preference being given to polycarbonate. Especially in the case of directly applied covering layers, radiation-cured coatings, such as those already described above, are advantageous, for example SD 347™ (Dainippon Ink).

The covering layer can be applied directly to the solid recording layer by means of a suitable adhesion promoter. In another embodiment, there is applied to the solid recording layer an additional, thin separating layer of a metallic, crosslinked organometallic or preferably dielectric inorganic material, for example in a thickness of from 0.001 to 10 μm, preferably from 0.005 to 1 μm, especially from 0.01 to 0.1 μm, for example from 0.05 to 0.08 μm in the case of dielectric separating layers and from 0.01 to 0.03 μm in the case of metallic separating layers. Separating layers and corresponding methods are disclosed in WO 02/082438, to which reference is expressly made here. If desired, such coatings can be applied, for example, in the same thickness also between the support material and the metallic reflector layer or between the metallic reflector layer and the optical recording layer. This may be advantageous in certain cases, for example when a silver reflector is used in combination with sulfur-containing additives in the recording layer.

In a special variant, there is applied to the solid recording layer an additional, thin separating layer of a metallic, crosslinked organometallic or dielectric inorganic material, for example in a thickness of from 0.001 to 10 μm, preferably from 0.005 to 1 μm, especially from 0.01 to 0.1 μm. On account of their high reflectivity, metallic separating layers should advantageously be a maximum of 0.03 μm thick. Separating layers and corresponding methods are disclosed in WO 02/082438, to which reference is expressly made here.

The compounds of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV) used according to the invention are new, but easy to be made from known compounds by known methods, such as in analogy to J. Org. Chem. 67/16, 5753-5772 [2002]. The invention therefore relates also to a compound of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV). Examples of suitable compounds of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV), to which the invention is however in no way restricted, are:

Instead of pure compounds it is also possible to use mixtures thereof.

In addition to comprising one or more compounds of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV) and optionally customary additives, the optical recording media according to the invention may also comprise other chromophores, preferably metal-free chromophores. Other chromophores may, if desired, be added in an amount of from 1 to 200 % by weight, based on the total of the compounds of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV). The amount of other chromophores is preferably from 5 to 100 % by weight, especially from 10 to 50 % by weight, based on the total of the compounds of formula (I), (II), (III) or (IV). Chromophores can be dyes or UV absorbers, preferably having an absorption maximum of from 350 to 400 nm or at from 600 to 700 nm, for example around 380 or 630 nm.

Especially preferred additional metal-free chromophores are cyanines, aza- cyanines, merocyanines and oxonols and also rhodamines, for example those disclosed in WO 04/006878, WO 02/082438 or EP-A-1 083555, and also

wherein R4g is Ci-C24alkyl or C2-C24alkenyl, each of which can be unsubstituted or substituted, and R50 is any substituent. R4g may be, for example, methyl, ethyl, vinyl, allyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, 2-isopropyloxy-ethyl, n-pentyl, 3-methyl-butyl, 3,3-dimethyl-butyl, 2-ethyl-hexyl, 2-cyano-ethyl, furan-2-yl-methyl or 2-hydroxy- methyl; R50 is, for example, C6-Ci0aryl, Ci-C24alkyl or C2-C24alkenyl.

The instant compounds may also advantageously be used in mixtures with the compounds disclosed in WO 04/079732, especially those of formula (II), (III), (IV) or (V) of WO 04/079732, as well as those disclosed in WO 05/012228.

Purely illustrative examples of such chromophores are:

(preferably in

mixture with and/or , e.g. 1 :0:1 or 1 :2:1 ,

what significantly improves the solubility and ensures an amorphous solid state, even enabling its use without addition of any instant compound though with poorer performance).

The instant compounds enable high quality recordings with high sensitivity and especially high modulation, with good read and light stability. It is easy to force either planarity or out of plane distorsion through variations of the length of the bridges Xi and/or X2 and of the further substituents, thus tuning the hue and lowering the tendency to crystallisation.

The following examples illustrate the invention but do not limit the scope thereof (unless otherwise indicated, "%" always refers to % by weight):

Example 1 : a) 12.72 g Bromine is added in small portions to a solution of 5.12 g 3,3-dimethyl-2,4-pentanedione in 30 ml of acetic acid over a period of 30 minutes while maintaining the temperature at ~10°C by external cooling. After stirring for 6 hours, acetic acid is removed from the reaction mixture by distillation. 20 ml of methyl tert.-butylether are added to the resulting brown liquid and the solution is dried over K2CO3. The solvent is evaporated, and the residue is chromatographed on silica gel with n-hexane/ethyl acetate (4:1) as eluent. 1.88 g 1 ,5-dibromo-3,3- dimethyl-2,4-pentanedione are obtained as a brown liquid. 1H-NMR (δ, CDCI3): 4.05 (s, 4H); 1.36 (s, 6H).

b) A solution of 684 mg 1 ,5-dibromo-3,3-dimethyl-2,4-pentanedione in 5 ml of ethanol is added under reflux to a solution of 1.274 g N-(2-thiazolyl)thiourea in 15 ml of ethanol and the mixture is refluxed for 3 h. After cooling to 00C, the reaction mixture is neutralized with 10% aqueous sodium hydroxide. The precipitate (602 mg) is filtrated, and then the organic layer is extracted with ethyl acetate and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The solvent is evaporated, and the residue is chromatographed on silica gel with n-hexane/ethyl acetate (2:1) as eluent. Further 148 mg compound of formula

are obtained as a pale gray solid (totally 750 mg).

1H-NMR (δ, DMSO-de): 7.29 (d, 2H); 6.95 (d, 2H); 6.58 (s, 2H); 1.64 (s, 6H); 12.01 (broad, 2H).

c) A solution of 98 mg copper acetate in 10 I of ethanol is added dropwise under reflux to a solution of 203 mg of this pale gray solid in 10 ml of tetrahydrofuran, and the mixture is refluxed for 2 h. After cooling to about 23°C, a dark brown solid precipitates in the course of the removal of the solvent by vacuum evaporation, which solid is collected by filtration (82 mg). The filtrate is condensed and the residue is chromatographed on silica gel with dichloromethane/acetone (20:1) as eluent to give further 70 mg of the metal complex, leading to totally 152 mg of dark brown powder of the formula: Example 2: a) 1.0 g N-(2-pyridyl)thiourea is dissolved in 10 ml of hot ethanol, and then 0.80 g 1 ,4-dibromo-2,3-butanedione is added. The mixture is heated to reflux. After stirring for 1 h, a saturated aqueous solution of sodium acetate is added to the reaction mixture. The resulting white solid is collected by filtration and washed with water and methanol. After drying, 0.80 g of pink solid is obtained.

1H-NMR (δ, DMSO-de): 11.41 (s, 2H), 8.31 (dd, 2H), 7.71 (ddd, 2H), 7.15 (s, 2H), 7.10 (d, 2H), 6.93 (ddd, 2H).

b) A solution of 85 mg Cu(OAc)2 ■ H2O in 7 ml hot ethanol is added dropwise to a solution of 150 mg of this pink solid in a mixture of 20 ml of tetrahydrofurane and 20 ml of ethanol. After completion of addition, the mixture is stirred under reflux for 1.5 h. Condensation of the mixture and subsequent washing with ethanol leeds to 0.18 g of a green solid of formula:

Example 3: 0.31 mg of the product according to example 1 are dissolved in 50 ml of dichloromethane. The spectrum of the dye solution is measured with a spectro¬ photometer (U-3300™, Hitachi). The maximal absorption (λmax) is at the wavelength of 346 nm.

Example 4: 12 mg of the product according to example 1 are dissolved in 1.00 ml of 2,2,3,3-tetrafluoro-1-propanol. The dye solution is then spin-coated at 800 rev/min to a 1.2 mm thick, flat polycarbonate plate (diameter 120 mm); the rotational speed is then increased to 2000 rev/min, so that the excess solution is spun off and a uniform solid layer is formed. Using an optical measuring system (ETA-RT™, STEAG ETA-Optik), the layer thickness and the complex refractive index are determined. At 405 nm, the dye layer has a layer thickness of 45 nm, a refractive index n of 1.909 and an extinction coefficient k of 0.011. Marks of lower reflectivity are written into the recording layer using a pulsed dye laser (15 ns pulse length) at a wavelength of 405 nm and an energy density of 0.8 kJ/m2.

Example 5: 0.37 mg of the product according to example 2 are dissolved in 50 ml of dichloromethane. The spectrum of the dye solution is measured with a spectrophotometer (U-3300, Hitachi). The maximal absorption (λmax) is at the wavelength of 325 nm.

Example 6: 12 mg of the compound according to example 2 are dissolved in 1.00 ml of 2,2,3, 3-tetrafluoro-1-propanol. The dye solution is then spin-coated at 800 rev/min to a 1.2 mm thick, flat polycarbonate plate (diameter 120 mm); the rotational speed is then increased to 2000 rev/min, so that the excess solution is spun off and a uniform solid layer is formed. Using an optical measuring system (ETA-RT™, STEAG ETA-Optik), the layer thickness and the complex refractive index were determined. At 405 nm, the dye layer has a layer thickness of 41 nm, a refractive index n of 1.986 and an extinction coefficient k of 0.101. Marks of lower reflectivity are written into the recording layer using a pulsed dye laser (15 ns pulse length) at a wavelength of 405 nm and an energy density of 0.8 kJ/m2.

Example 7: In a vacuum-coating apparatus (Twister™, Balzers Unaxis), a 30 nm thick silver reflector layer is applied onto a 1.1 mm thick grooved polycarbonate disc (diameter 120 mm, groove pitch 400 nm, groove depth 80 nm, groove width 170 nm). 0.12 g of the product of example 1 are dissolved in 10 ml of 2,2,3,3- tetrafluoro-1-propanol and filtered through a 0.2 μm Teflon™ filter. The dye solution is applied onto the reflector layer by the spin-coating method in order to form a uniform solid layer after drying in an oven for 15 min at 700C. A 40 nm thick dielectric layer (SiON) is successively applied by RF-sputtering in a vacuum- coating apparatus (Sprinter™, Balzers Unaxis). A polycarbonate film covered on one side with a pressure-sensitive adhesive (total thickness 100 μm, Lintec Corp., Japan) is finally bonded onto the dielectric layer. Using a commercial disc testing equipment (ODU-1000™ for Blu-ray® Disc, Pulstec, Japan) based on a 407 nm laser diode and an objective lens numerical aperture of 0.85, marks are recorded on the disc with a linear speed of 5.28 m/s and a laser power of 7 mW. The recorded area is then read back with 0.35 mW laser power.

Example 8: It is proceeded in close analogy with example 7, with the difference that the compound of example 2 is spin-coated instead of the compound of example 1.

Examples 9-36: The following compounds are prepared and measured in close analogy to examples 1 -5:

Examples 37-53: 10 mg of the compounds according to examples 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21 , 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, 33, 35 and 36 are dissolved each in 1.00 ml of 2,2,3, 3-tetrafluoro-1-propanol. Each dye solution is then spin-coated at 800 rev/min to a 1.2 mm thick, flat polycarbonate plate (diameter 120 mm); the rotational speed is then increased to 2000 rev/min, so that the excess solution is spun off and a uniform solid layer is formed. Using an static test-system for optical data storage media (MEDIA TEST-I ™, TOPTICA Photonics), pit marks are formed with a writing laser (pulse length from 25 ns to 300 ns, laser power from 1 to 14 mW) at a wavelength of 399 nm. The reflectivity change before/after pit mark formation is measured with a read laser at a wavelength of 422 nm. Modulation is defined as the ratio of the reflectivity ( R ) change before and after the pit mark formation: Modulation [expressed in %] = (Rbefore - Rafter) / Rbefore- Sensitivity is defined as the threshold write laser power when the modulation starts to rise up.

Example 54: 9 mg of the compound according to example 20 and 1 mg of the compound according to example 33 are dissolved in 1.00 ml of 2,2,3, 3-tetrafluoro- 1-propanol. The mixed dye solution is then spin-coated at 600 rev/min to a 1.2 mm thick, flat polycarbonate plate (diameter 120 mm); the rotational speed is then increased to 2000 rev/min, so that the excess solution is spun off and a uniform solid layer is formed. Pit marks are formed and the reflectivity is measured with an static test-system for optical data storage media (MEDIA TEST-I ™, TOPTICA Photonics) in the same way as in examples 37-53. In order to test the read-stability, which is defined as the ratio of the reflectivity ( R ) change before and after the laser exposure, the reflectivity change is then also measured during laser exposure at low laser power (wavelength 399 nm, laser power 0.5 mW, pulse duration time 1 msec): Read-stability [expressed in %] = (Rbefore - Rafter) / Rbefore-

Further examples: It is proceded in close analogy with above examples, with the difference that Zn or Cu are replaced by each other or by Co, Ni or Pd, respecti¬ vely. One can also use mixtures of compounds comprising different two or more metals, such as Cu and Zn, Cu and Co, Cu and Ni, Cu and Pd, Co and Ni, Co and Pd, Co and Zn, Ni and Pd, Ni and Zn, or Cu, Co and Zn.