A compound of the formulae D--N.dbd.N--Coupler, wherein D is selected from the heterocyclic amines of the formula ##STR72## ring A may bear a substituent selected from lower alkyl, substituted lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halogen, lower alkylsulfonyl, SO.sub.2 O aryl, SO.sub.2 NH.sub.2, SO.sub.2 NH--lower alkyl, SO.sub.2 N--(dilower alkyl), arylsulfonyl, substituted SO.sub.2 NH--lower alkyl, acylamido, aryl, arylthio, alkenylthio, cyclohexylthio, thiocyano, cyclohexylsulfonyl, lower alkylthio, substituted lower alkylthio and cyclohexyl;
- ring B may bear a substituent selected from lower alkyl, substituted lower alkyl, aryl, lower alkylthio, cyclohexylthio, substituted lower alkylthio and lower alkylsulfonyl;
- ring C may bear one or two substituents selected from alkyl, substituted lower alkyl, halogen, cyano, carbamoyl, CONH--lower alkyl, substituted CONH--lower alkyl, lower alkoxycarbonyl, lower alkylthio, substituted lower alkylthio, alkenylthio, arylthio, cyclohexylthio, S-heterocycle, aryloxy, and lower alkoxy;
- ring D may bear one or two substituents selected from lower alkyl, substituted lower alkyl, lower alkoxycarbonyl, lower alkylthio, aryl, cyano, carbamoyl, lower alkyl carbamoyl, lower alkylcarbonyl, substituted lower alkyl carbamoyl, and lower alkyl sulfonyl;
- and
- ring E may be substituted with one to three substituents selected from lower alkyl, substituted lower alkyl, cyano, lower alkoxycarbonyl, acyl, aroyl, lower alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, carbamoyl, lower alkyl carbamoyl, substituted lower alkyl carbamoyl, aryl, halogen, sulfamoyl, lower alkyl carbamoyl, substituted lower alkyl, sulfamoyl and formyl;
- and wherein the various alkyl groups may bear one to three substituents selected from hydroxy, lower alkoxy, aryl, aryloxy, cyclohexyl, lower alkylcyclohexyl, acyloxy, lower alkoxy carbonyl, acylamido, lower alkylsulfonamido, succinimido, glutarimido, phthalimido, 2-pyrrolidono, cyano, carbamoyl, lower alkoxy-alkoxy, lower alkylthio, halogen, arylthio, lower alkylsulfonyl and arylsulfonyl;
- and wherein the various aryl groups may be substituted with one to three substituents selected from lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, halogen, lower alkoxy carbonyl, lower alkyl sulfonyl, and lower alkylthio;
- and
- the Coupler is selected from those of the formulae ##STR73## wherein R.sub.1 is selected from hydrogen, lower alkyl, halogen, lower alkoxy, aryloxy, and --NHCO--R.sub.5 or --NHSO.sub.2 --R.sub.5 wherein R.sub.5 is selected from lower alkyl which may be substituted with hydroxy, lower alkoxy, cyano, aryloxy, aryl, halogen, cycloalkyl, lower alkyl carbonyloxy, or carbamoyl;
- hydrogen;
- aryl;
- alkoxy;
- alkylamine;
- 2-furyl;
- R.sub.2 is selected from hydrogen, aryl, cycloalkyl, and lower alkyl which may be substitued --SO.sub.3 M with alkoxy, alkoxyalkoxy, hydrogen, aryloxy, aryl, cycloalkyl, lower alkylcycloalkyl, furyl, NHCOR.sub.5, NHSO.sub.2 R.sub.5, aryloxy, carbamoyl, lower alkyl carbamoyl, lower alkyl substituted carbamoyl, cyano, alkanoyloxy, halogen, alkoxycarbonyl, succinimido, glutarimido, phthalimido, 2-pyrrolidono, sulfamoyl, lower alkyl substituted sulfamoyl, lower alkylsulfonamide, NHSO.sub.2 --aryl, NHCOO--alkyl, NHCONH--alkyl, formamido, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, alkylthio, or arylthio;
- R.sub.2 may in conjunction with R.sub.1 form a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline or benzomorpholine derivative;
- n is 0, 1 or 2;
- M is Na.sup.+, K.sup.+, NH.sub.4.sup.+, or H.sup.+ ;
- R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are each selected from hydrogen or lower alkyl;
- Z is selected from straight or branched chain lower alkylene, lower alkylene substituted with aryl, aryloxy, alkoxy, halogen, aryloxy or SO.sub.3 M, --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.m X--CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.p, where m is 1, 2, or 3, p is 0, 1, 2 or 3, and X is O, S, SO.sub.2, ##STR74## and the various aryl groups may be substituted with lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, or halogen.