Thermally transferable fluorine-containing AZO dyes

A process for providing an image by a thermal transfer process comprising:

• (a) providing a thermal transfer donor sheet and a thermal transfer receptor sheet in a facing relationship;
• and
• (b) applying heat in an imagewise distributed manner to the donor sheet to cause material on the donor sheet to transfer to the receptor sheet;
• wherein the donor sheet comprises a flexible substrate having coated thereon a dye donor layer containing a dye of the formula (Formula I):
• ##STR21## wherein:
• (i) R.sup.1 =a (C.sub.1-20)alkyl or hydroxy(C.sub.1-20)alkyl group;
• (ii) R.sup.2 =a hydroxy(C.sub.1-20)alkyl or (C.sub.1-20)alkylene--OC(O)NH--(C.sub.1-20)alkylene--OC(O)--R.sup.4 wherein R.sup.4 is a (C.sub.2-20)alkenyl group or a polymerized alkenyl group;
• (iii) R.sup.3 =F or CF.sub.3 ;
• and
• (iv) said dye is stable under ambient conditions for at least about 6 months.