Azo compound and a polarizing film containing the same

An azo compound represented by the following formulae (I) or (II):

• ##STR51## wherein Q.sub.1 represents a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group or a substituted or unsubstituted naphthyl group, Q.sub.2 represents a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group;
• R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxy group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy group or a halogen atom;
• R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxy group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy group or a substituted amino group;
• and X represents --N.dbd.N--;
• or a salt thereof.

An azo compound represented by the following formulae (I) or (II):

• ##STR53## wherein Q.sub.1 is a phenyl group represented by the following formula:
• ##STR54## wherein R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a sulfo group, a sulfamoyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy group, a substituted amino group, a carboxy group or a halogen atom, or a naphthyl group represented by the following formula:
• ##STR55## wherein R.sub.7, R.sub.8 and R.sub.9 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxy group or a sulfo group;
• Q.sub.2 represents a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group;
• R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxy group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy group or a halogen atom;
• R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxy group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy group or a substituted amino group and X represents --NH--, --NHCO--or --N.dbd.N--;
• or a salt thereof.