Tricationic dyes

A method of dyeing organic material, which comprises treating the organic material with at least one dye of formula (1)

• D is an aromatic or a cationic heteroaromatic group, which is optionally substituted by one or more than one C1-C14alkyl, C1-C14alkoxy, hydroxy-C1-C14alkyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl, —CN, NO2, —NR3R4, halogen, C6-C10aryl, which is optionally substituted or C1-C14alkyl, or by one or more groups Z;
• E1 and E2 independently from each other are ═CH;
• or ═N—;
• K is an aromatic or heteroaromatic group which is optionally substituted by one or more than one C1-C14alkyl, C1-C14alkoxy, C3-C8cycloalkyl, C6-C10aryl, halogen, hydroxy, NO2, —NR3R4, —N(R3)(CO)R4, —SO2NR3R4, —SONR3R4 or by one or more Z;
• or a radical of formula —NR1R2;
• R1 and R2 independently from each other are hydrogen;
• C1-C14alkyl;
• cyclo-C1-C14alkyl;
• C6-C10aryl;
• an aromatic or heteroaromatic group which is optionally substituted by one or more than one C1-C14alkyl, C1-C14alkoxy, C1-3—C8cycloalkyl, C6-C10aryl, halogen, hydroxy, —NR5R6, —NR5(R5)—(CO)R5 or by Z;
• Z is a group of the formula (1a) *—X1—Y1—W1, wherein
• X1 is the direct bond;
• —NR7—;
• —O—;
• —NR7(C═O)—;
• —(CO)NR7—;
• —O(C═O)—;
• —(CO)O—;
• or —(C═O)—;
• Y1 is the direct bond;
• C1-C12alkylene, which is optionally interrupted by —O—, —NR8, —S—, —(C═O)—, —O(C═O)—, (C═O)O—, —NR7(C═O)—, —(C═O)NR7—, and which may substituted by C1-C14alkyl, hydroxy-C1-C14alkyl, hydroxy, —NR9R10 or halogen;
• or C6-C10arylene, which may substituted by C1-C14alkyl, hydroxy-C1-C14alkyl, hydroxy, amino or halogen;
• W1 is a cationic group;
• and
• R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 and R10 independently from each other are hydrogen;
• C1-C14alkyl;
• or Z;
• and
• An1−1, An2− and An3− independently from each other are an anion.

A method of dyeing organic material, which comprises treating the organic material with a composition comprising at least one dye of formula (1)

• D is an aromatic or a cationic heteroaromatic group, which is optionally substituted by one or more than one C1-C14alkyl, C1-C14alkoxy, hydroxy-C1-C14alkyl, C3-C8cycloalkyl, —CN, NO2, —NR3R4, halogen, C6-C10aryl, which is optionally substituted or C1-C14alkyl, or by one or more groups Z;
• E1 and E2 independently from each other are ═CH;
• or ═N—;
• K is an aromatic or heteroaromatic group which is optionally substituted by one or more than one C1-C14alkyl, C1-C14alkoxy, C3-C8cycloalkyl, C6-C10aryl, halogen, hydroxy, NO2, —NR3R4, —N(R3)(CO)R4, —SO2NR3R4, —SONR3R4 or by one or more Z;
• or a radical of formula —NR1R2;
• R1 and R2 independently from each other are hydrogen;
• C1-C14alkyl;
• cyclo-C1-C14alkyl;
• C6-C10aryl;
• an aromatic or heteroaromatic group which is optionally substituted by one or more than one C1-C14alkyl, C1-C14alkoxy, C3-C8cycloalkyl, C6-C10aryl, halogen, hydroxy, —NR5R6, —N(R5)—(CO)R5 or by Z;
• Z is a group of the formula (1a) *—X1—Y1—W1, wherein
• X1 is the direct bond;
• —NR7—;
• —O—;
• —NR7(C═O)—;
• —(CO)NR7—;
• —O(C═O)—;
• —(CO)O—;
• or —(C═O)—;
• Y1 is the direct bond;
• C1-C12alkylene, which is optionally interrupted by —O—, —NR8, —S—, —(C═O)—, —O(C═O)—, (C═O)O—, —NR7(C═O)—, —(C═O)NR7—, and which may substituted by C1-C14alkyl, hydroxy-C1-C14alkyl, hydroxy, —NR9R10 or halogen;
• or C6-C10arylene, which may substituted by C1-C14alkyl, hydroxy-C1-C14alkyl, hydroxy, amino or halogen;
• W is a cationic group;
• and
• R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 and R10 independently from each other are hydrogen;
• C1-C14alkyl;
• or Z;
• and
• An1−, An2− and An3− independently from each other are an anion.