Patent EP-0483876-A1 (EP)
Inventor: CHAPMAN DEREK DAVID
IPC: B41M5/388
Filed: 1991-10-31
Abstract: A black dye-donor element for thermal dye transfer comprising a support having thereon a dye layer comprising a mixture of at least one cyan, magenta and yellow dyes dispersed in a polymeric binder, at least one of the cyan dyes having the formula:
       
 wherein: 
   R¹ and R² each independently represents hydrogen; a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group having from 5 to 7 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted allyl group; with the proviso that R¹ and R² cannot both be hydrogen; 
or R¹ and R² can be joined together to form, along with the nitrogen to which they are attached, a 5- to 7-membered heterocyclic ring; 
   or either or both of R¹ and R² can be combined with an R³ to form a 5- to 7-membered heterocyclic ring; 
   each R³ independently represents substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, cycloalkyl or allyl as described above for R¹ and R², alkoxy, aryloxy, halogen, thiocyano, acylamido, ureido, alkylsulfonamido, arylsulfonamido, alkylthio, arylthio or trifluoromethyl; 
   or any two of R³ may be combined together to form a 5- or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring; 
or one or two of R³ may be combined with either or both of R¹ and R² to complete a 5-to 7-membered ring; 
   m is an integer of from 0 to 4; 
   R⁴ represents hydrogen or an electron withdrawing group; 
   R⁵ represents an electron withdrawing group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted hetaryl group having from 5 to 10 atoms; 
   R⁶ and R⁷ each independently represents an electron withdrawing group; and 
   R⁶ and R⁷ may be combined to form the residue of an active methylene compound; 
and at least one of the yellow dyes having the formula:
       
 wherein: 
   R⁸, R⁹ and R¹¹ each independently represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; a cycloalkyl group of from 5 to 7 carbon atoms; a substituted or unsubstituted allyl group; or an aryl group having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms; 
   or R⁸ and R⁹ can be joined together to form, along with the nitrogen to which they are attached, a 5-or 6-membered heterocyclic ring; 
   or either or both of R⁸ and R⁹ can be joined to the carbon atom of the benzene ring at a position ortho to the position of attachment of the anilino nitrogen to form a 5- or 6-membered ring, thus forming a polycyclic system; 
   R¹⁰ represents hydrogen; a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; a cycloalkyl group of from 5 to 7 carbon atoms; a substituted or unsubstituted allyl group; carbamoyl; or alkoxycarbonyl; 
   R¹² represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; a substituted or unsubstituted aryloxy group having from 6 to 10 carbon atoms; NHR¹³; NR¹³R¹⁴ or the atoms necessary to complete a 6-membered ring fused to the benzene ring; 
   R¹³ and R¹⁴ each independently represents any of the groups for R⁸; or R¹³ and R¹⁴ may be joined together to form, along with the nitrogen to which they are attached, a 5-or 6-membered heterocyclic ring; 
   n is a positive integer from 1 to 5; and 
   G represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or alkoxy group of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; halogen; aryloxy; or represents the atoms necessary to complete a 5- or 6-membered ring, thus forming a fused ring system; 
and at least one of the magenta dyes has the formula:
       
 wherein: 
   R¹⁵ is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or allyl group of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; 
   X is an alkoxy group of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms or represents the atoms which when taken together with R¹⁶ forms a 5- or 6-membered ring; 
   R¹⁶ is any of the groups for R¹⁵ or represents the atoms which when taken together with X forms a 5- or 6-membered ring; 
   Y is R¹⁵, an alkoxy group of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, hydrogen, halogen, or NHJR¹⁷; 
   R¹⁷ is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group of from 6 to 10 carbon atoms; 
   J is CO, CO₂, -SO₂- or CONR²⁰-; 
   R¹⁸ is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or allyl group of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group of from 6 to 10 carbon atoms; 
   R¹⁹ is hydrogen, cyano, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of from 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group of from 6 to 10 carbon atoms; and 
   R²⁰ is hydrogen or R¹⁸.