Mixture of dyes for magenta dye donor for thermal color proofing

In a process of forming a dye transfer image comprising imagewise-heating a magenta dye-donor element comprising a support having thereon a dye layer comprising a mixture of a yellow dye and a magenta dye dispersed in a polymeric binder and transferring a magenta dye image to a dye-receiving element to form said magenta dye transfer image, the improvement wherein said magenta dye has the formula:

• ##STR20## R.sup.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or allyl group of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms;
• X is an alkoxy group of from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms or represents the atoms which when taken together with R.sup.2 forms a 5- or 6-membered ring;
• R.sup.2 is any of the groups for R.sup.1 or represents the atoms which when taken together with X forms a 5- or 6-membered ring;
• R.sup.3 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group of from about 6 to about 10 carbon atoms;
• J is CO, CO.sub.2, --SO.sub.2 -- or CONR.sup.5 --;
• R.sup.4 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or allyl group of from 1 to or about 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group of from about 6 to about 10 carbon atoms;
• and
• R.sup.5 is hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group of from about 6 to about 10 carbon atoms;
• said dye mixture approximating a hue match of the magenta SWOP Color Reference.

In a thermal dye transfer assemblage comprising:

• a) a magenta dye-donor element comprising a support having thereon a dye layer comprising a mixture of a yellow dye and a magenta dye dispersed in a polymeric binder, and
• b) a dye-receiving element comprising a support having thereon a dye image-receiving layer, said dye-receiving element being in a superposed relationship with said magenta dye-donor element so that said dye layer is in contact with said dye image-receiving layer, the improvement wherein said magenta dye has the formula:
• ##STR21## wherein R.sup.1 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or allyl group of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms;
• X is an alkoxy group of from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms or represents the atoms which when taken together with R.sup.2 forms a 5- or 6-membered ring;
• R.sup.2 is any of the groups for R.sup.1 or represents the atoms which when taken together with X forms a 5- or 6-membered ring;
• R.sup.3 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group of from about 6 to about 10 carbon atoms;
• J is CO, CO.sub.2, --SO.sub.2 -- or CONR.sup.5 --;
• R.sup.4 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or allyl group of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group of from about 6 to about 10 carbon atoms;
• and
• R.sup.5 is hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group of from about 6 to about 10 carbon atoms;
• said dye mixture approximating a hue match of the magenta SWOP Color Reference.