Patent ID: 7678899

Claim:
A mixture of phthalocyanine dyes of Formula (1) or salts thereof: wherein: M is Cu or Ni; Pc represents a phthalocyanine nucleus of formula; L is optionally substituted C 1-20 alkylene, alkyenylene or alkynylene, optionally interrupted by —O—, —NH— or —S—; R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 independently are H or optionally substituted C 1-4 alkyl; R 5 is H or an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl; or R 4 and R 5 together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached represent an optionally substituted 5- or 6-membered aliphatic or aromatic ring system; x is 0.1 to 3.8; y is 0.1 to 3.8; z is 0.1 to 3.8; the sum of (x+y+z) is 4; the substituents, represented by x, y and z, are attached only to a β-position on the phthalocyanine ring; and the mixture of dyes of Formula (1) are obtainable by a process which comprises cyclisation of β-sulfo substituted phthalic acid, phthalonitrile, iminoisoindoline, phthalic anhydride, phthalimide or phthalamide in the optional presence of a suitable nitrogen source, and in the presence of a copper or nickel salt, and a base followed by chlorination, amination/amidation.