Cationic imidazole azo dyes

A compound of the formula

• in which A and A.sub.1 independently of one another are each a radical of the formula ##STR56## Z is the radical of an aliphatic or aromatic diamine, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 independently of one another are each hydrogen C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl which is substituted by hydroxyl, carboxyl, halogen, cyano or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy which is substituted by hydroxyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, or by amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, aminocarbonyl, phenyl, phenoxy or phenylaminocarbonyl in which the phenyl group is unsubstituted or substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy or phenoxy or, together with the two nitrogen atoms to which they are attached and with Z, form a piperazino ring,
• X is the radical of phosgene, succinyl dichloride, oxalyl dichloride, terephthaloyl dichloride, ethylene dibromide, xylene dichloride or of a dihalotriazine of the formula ##STR57## in which Hal is halogen,
• Y and Y.sub.1 independently of one another are each a radical A of the formula (4), or are halogen, hydroxyl, amino, monoalkylamino dialkylamino, 1-piperidino, morpholino or 1-piperazino, where the 1-piperazino radical is unsubstituted or substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl at the nitrogen atom not attached to the triazine ring and wherein the alkyl groups are unsubstituted or substituted by hydroxyl, amino, mono-C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylamino or di-C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylamino,
• Z.sub.1 is the radical of an aromatic diamine,
• Z.sub.2 is the radical of an aliphatic diamine,
• KK is the radical of a coupling component,
• R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 independently of one another are each hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl which is substituted by hydroxyl, carboxyl, halogen, cyano, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy which is substituted by hydroxyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, or by amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, aminocarbonyl, phenyl, phenoxy or phenylaminocarbonyl in which the phenyl group is unsubstituted or substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy or phenoxy,
• R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 independently of one another are each hydrogen, unsubstituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy which is substituted by hydroxyl, carboxyl, halogen, cyano or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy which is substituted by hydroxyl or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, or by amino, alkylamino, dialkylamino, aminocarbonyl, phenyl, phenoxy or phenylaminocarbonyl in which the phenyl group is unsubstituted or substituted by C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy or phenoxy and
• An.sup..crclbar. is a colourless anion.