Ink jet recording ink and recording method employing the same

A recording method comprising the step of:

• ejecting an ink jet recording ink on an ink receiving material using an ink jet printer, the ink comprising a dye represented by the following Formula (1):
• ##STR18## wherein R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, a cyano group, an alkoxxy group, an aryl group, an aryloxy group, an aralkyl group, an alkylsulfinyl group, an acylamino group, a sulfonylamino group, a ureido group, an alkylthio group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a carbamoyl group, an acyl group, an amino group, an alkylsulfonyl group or a sulfamoyl group;
• and R.sub.2 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, a cyano group, an alkoxy group, an aryl group, an aryloxy group, an aralkyl group, an alkylsulfinyl group, an acylamino group, a sulfonylamino group, a ureido group, an alkylthio group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a carbamoyl group, an acyl group, an amino group, an alkylsulfonyl group or a sulfamoyl group;
• X represents --OH or --NR.sub.3 R.sub.4, in which R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkinyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic ring, provided that R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 may combine with each other to form a ring or R.sub.3 and R.sub.1 may combine with each other to form a ring;
• Y.sub.1 and Y.sub.2 independently represent nitrogen or CR in which R represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an acylamino group, provided that at least one of Y.sub.1 and Y.sub.2 is nitrogen;
• Z represents an atomic group necessary to form a substituted or unsubstituted 5- or 6-membered nitrogen-containing heterocyclic ring, provided that the heterocyclic ring may be condensed with another ring;
• and at least one of R.sub.2 and the substituent on Z has a Hammett .sigma.p value of -0.3 to 1.0, provided that at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R and the substituent on the heterocyclic ring represented by Z has a group having a sulfonic acid group or its salt group or a carboxylic acid group or its salt group, wherein said ink jet recording ink contains water in an amount of 1.0 to 98.9% by weight, a water soluble organic solvent in an amount of 1.0 to 98.9% by weight and said dye in an amount of 0.1 to 20.0% by weight.