Optical information recording medium

An optical information recording medium for carrying out recording and readout with laser beams, which comprises a support, and a recording layer on the support containing at least one compound selected from the group consisting of general formulae (1), (II), (III) and (IV);

• ##STR104## wherein L.sup.1 represents a methine group which may be substituted, or an atomic group whereby a polymethine chain is completed where 3, 5 or 7 methine groups are linked in turn to form conjugated double bonds and which chain may be substituted;
• Q and Q' are the same or different, and each represents an atomic group whereby a conjugated double bond chain is completed;
• m and n independently represent 0 or 1;
• and X and X' are the same or different, and each represents an atomic group necessary for forming a carbon ring, or an atomic group necessary for forming a heterocyclic ring selected from the following atomic groups (the carbon ring may form a condensed ring together with another ring, and the carbon ring or heterocyclic ring may have substituent(s)):
• ##STR105## (wherein R represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent) ##STR106## wherein Q, L.sup.1 and m are as defined in general formula (I);
• Z represents an atomic group necessary for forming a carbon ring or a heterocyclic ring (the carbon ring or heterocyclic ring may form a condensed ring together with another ring, or any have substituent(s);
• M represents a hydrogen atom, a metal atom, a metal complex ion, an ammonium ion which may be substituted, or a quaternary phosphonium ion;
• E represents O, S or NR.sup.4 ;
• R.sup.1 and R.sup.4 may be the same or different and each represents an optionally substituted alkyl group, an optionally substituted alkenyl group, an optionally substituted alkynyl group, an optionally substituted aryl group, an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, an optionally substituted amino group, an optionally substituted hydrazino group or an optionally substituted diazenyl group;
• R.sup.2 represents an optionally substituted alkyl group, an optionally substituted aryl group, an optionally substituted alkenyl group, an optionally substituted alkynyl group or an optionally substituted heterocyclic group;
• R.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a nitro group, a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group, an optionally substituted alkyl group, an optionally substituted aryl group, an optionally substituted alkenyl group, an optionally substituted alkoxy group, an optionally substituted aryloxy group, an optionally substituted heterocyclic group, an optionally substituted alkoxycarbonyl group, an optionally substituted aryloxycarbonyl group, an optionally substituted amino group, an optionally substituted acyloxy group, an optionally substituted carbamoyl group, an optionally substituted sulfamoyl group, an optionally substituted alkylthio group, an optionally substituted arylthio group, an optionally substituted alkylsulfonyl group, an optionally substituted arylsulfonyl group or an optionally substituted alkynyl group;
• and R.sup.1 and R.sup.4 may also combine to form a ring;
• ##STR107## in the above general formulae (III) and (IV), A represents an atomic group necessary for forming a pyridine, pyrimidine, pyrazine or triazine ring (these rings may each form a condensed ring together with a benzene ring, and these rings may each be substituted with substituent(s) each having 30 or less carbon atoms);
• and L.sup.2 represents an optionally substituted methine group, or a group formed by linking optionally substituted 3 or 5 methine groups in turn to form conjugated double bonds.