Composition for treating copper and copper alloy surfaces and method for the surface treatment

A method for treating surfaces of copper and copper alloys, which comprises applying an aqueous solution or an aqueous dispersion comprising at least one imidazole derivative of the following formulas (1) to (6), or a salt thereof, ##STR7## wherein A.sup.1 is alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, phenylcarbonyl, or halogen, R.sup.1 is an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, or aryl group containing a halogen atom, and a is an integer of 0 to 4;

• ##STR8## wherein R.sup.2 is an alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, or arylene, A.sup.2 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, phenylcarbonyl, or halogen, b is 0 or 1, and A.sup.1 and a are the same as defined above;
• ##STR9## wherein A.sup.3 is alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, phenylcarbonyl, or halogen, R.sup.3 is alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, or arylene, c is an integer of 0 to 7, and A.sup.1, a, and b are the same as defined above;
• ##STR10## wherein A.sup.4 is alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, or aralkyl, A.sup.5 is alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, phenylcarbonyl, or halogen, R.sup.4 is alkylene, alkenylene, alkynylene, or arylene, d is an integer of 0 to 5, and a is an integer of 1 to 4;
• ##STR11## wherein A.sup.6 s are individually alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, or phenyl carbonyl;
• ##STR12## wherein A.sup.7 is hydrogen, lower alkyl, or halogen, A.sup.8 is alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, aralkyl, phenylcarbonyl, or halogen, and e is an integer of 0 to 6.