Cyanine dye compound having tetracyanoquinodimethane compound as counter anion and optical recording medium containing the same

An optical recording medium comprising a substrate having provided thereon a recording layer capable of recording information by laser irradiation, wherein said recording layer contains a cyanine dye compound represented by formula (I):

• 18
• wherein A1 and A2 each independently represent a benzene ring or a naphthalene ring;
• R1, R1′, R2, R2′, R3 and R3′ each independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, provided that at least one of R1 and R1′ represents an alkyl group substituted with a hydroxyl group or an alkoxyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms;
• R4 represents a substituent on the methine chain;
• q represents an integer of 0 or greater;
• p represents an integer of 1 to 4;
• B represents 0, 1 or 2;
• and Xp− represents a p-valent anionic tetracyanoquinodimethane compound represented by formula (II):
• 19
• wherein R5 represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group;
• L represents a single bond or a divalent linking group;
• R6 represents a substituent;
• p is as defined above;
• and r is an integer of 0 to 3.