Diazamerocyanines for dyeing keratinous fibers

A dye composition for dyeing keratinous fibers comprising an aqueous solution having a pH of between about 3 and about 8, of from about 0.0001 to about 5% by weight of at least one diazamerocyanine dye, including the mesomorphic forms thereof, having the formula

• A=N--N=B
• wherein
• A represents a nitrogen heterocycle selected from the group consisting of ##SPC80##
• wherein
• R represents a member selected from the group consisting of lower alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms and phenyl;
• X represents a member selected from the group consisting of sulfur, --NR'--, wherein R' represents lower alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms, --CR'.sub.9 =CR'.sub.10 wherein R'.sub.9 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms or cyano and wherein R'.sub.10 is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and --C(R")(R")--, wherein each R" is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms;
• Z represents a member selected from the group consisting of --CH=CH-- and --NR'", wherein R'" represents lower alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms,
• R.sub.7 represents a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms, cyano and phenyl,
• R.sub.8 represents a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen and lower alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms, provided that R.sub.7 and R.sub.8, when taken together with the carbon atoms to which they are linked, represent benzene;
• B represents a member selected from the group consisting of
• i. 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone,
• ii. a cycle of the formula ##SPC81##
• wherein
• Y represents a member selected from the group consisting of oxygen and ##EQU1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each independently represent a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms, hydroxyalkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms and phenyl, and Z.sup.- is an anion derived from a member selected from the group consisting of an inorganic acid and an organic acid,
• R.sub.3 represents a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy and phenylcarbamyl,
• R.sub.4 and R.sub.6 each independently represent a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms and lower alkoxy having 1-4 carbon atoms, and
• R.sub.5 represents a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, halogen, alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, nitro, amino, acetylamino;
• R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 together with the carbon atoms to which they are attached being benzene or hydroxybenzene,
• iii. a cycle having the formula ##SPC82##
• wherein
• R.sub.1 and R.sub.9, together with the nitrogen and carbon atoms to which they are attached, represent morpholine in which case R.sub.10 is hydrogen and R.sub.2 represents a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms, and
• wherein
• R.sub.2 and R.sub.10, when taken together with the nitrogen and carbon atoms to which they are attached, represent morpholine in which case R.sub.9 is hydrogen and R.sub.1 represents a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms and acyl having 2 to 5 carbon atoms, and R.sub.11 represents a member selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyl having 1-4 carbon atoms, and
• iv. a cycle having the formula ##SPC83##
• wherein
• R.sub.1, r.sub.2, r.sub.9, r.sub.10 and R.sub.11 have the meaning given above and X.sup.- represents an anion derived from a member selected from the group consisting of an inorganic acid and an organic acid.