Transfer imaging using metal-azo and metal-azomethine dyes

Abstract

Dye donor sheets comprising a substrate having a coating comprising a binder and at least one neutral 1:1 metal-azo or neutral 1:1 metal-azomethine dye having the general structure: ##STR1## wherein Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2 each independently represent an arene nucleus, having from 5 to 14 ring atoms; G.sub.1 and G.sub.2 each independently represent a metal ligating group, and further wherein G.sub.1 and G.sub.2 may be contained within or pendant from at least one of Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2 ; R represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an acylamino group, an alkoxy group, a sulfonamido group, an aryl group, a thiol group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group, an alkylamino group, an arylamino group, an amino group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an acyloxy group, a nitro group, a cyano group, a sulfonyl group, a sulfoxyl group, an aryloxy group, a hydroxy group, a thioamido group, a carbamoyl group, a sulfamoyl group, a carboxyl group, a sulfo group, a formyl group, an acyl group, a ureido group, or aryloxycarbonyl group, a silyl group, a carbonato group, or a sulfoalkoxy group; L is any combination of monodentate, bidentate, or tridentate ligands which satisfy the coordination requirements of the metal; X represents nitrogen or a methine (CH) group; M is a divalent or polyvalent transition metal where the coordination number is at least four; and k, m, and n are whole numbers less than or equal to 3. Use of the above constructions in thermal dye transfer imaging is also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.