Protein adsorbent including a colored compound containing a quaternary ammonium especially amidinium or guanidimium cationic group and a cellulose reactive group

A protein adsorbent suitable for use in the chromatographic separation of complex biological molecules which comprises a coloured compound having the formula:

• A--Y--B
• or,
• Y'--B
• wherein A is a cationic group selected from (i) an acyclic or cyclic fully substituted ammonium group of the formulae:
• ##STR4## wherein R.sup.1 to R.sup.4 are alkyl, alkenyl or aryl groups, B represents an aromatic radical and D represents an alicyclic radial in which at least one of R.sup.1 or R.sup.4, B and D contains a free valency, and (ii) an amidinium or guandiinium group of the formula:
• ##STR5## wherein R.sup.6 to R.sup.9 are H or alkl, alkenyl or aryl groups and n is 0 or 1;
• Y is a chromophore;
• Y' is a cationic chromophore;
• and B is a mono- or poly-halogenoheterocycle selected from dichloropyrimidinyl, difluoropyrimidinyl, trichloropyrimidinyl, 5-chlorodifluoropyrimidinyl, 5-cyanodichloropyrimidinyl, dichlorotriazinyl and monochlorotriazinyl bound to an inert substrate.