Benzotriazole-based novel UV absorbers and photographic elements containing them

An ultraviolet absorbing compound of formula (I) below, and photographic elements containing such a compound as an ultraviolet absorber: (I) wherein: R1-R4 independently is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom such as fluoro, chloro, bromo, iodo or a combination thereof; a carbalkoxy group having at least one asymmetric carbon or asymmetric silicon atom; an alkoxy group having at least one asymmetric carbon or asymmetric silicon atom, with the proviso that R2 or R3, or both R2 and R3 are other than hydrogen; A* is a group having a carbon atom directly attached to 2'-hydroxyphenyl ring at the 5'-position which contains at least one asymmetric carbon atom or an asymmetric silicon atom, and; wherein the ultraviolet absorbing compound of formula (I) is a mixture of two enantiomers about the asymmetric carbon or silicon atom of A*.