Nanosized particles of monoazo laked pigment

A process for preparing nanoscale-sized monoazo laked pigment particles, comprising:

• preparing a first reaction mixture comprising:
• (a) a diazonium salt having at least one functional moiety as a first precursor to the laked pigment and (b) a liquid medium containing diazotizing agents;
• and
• preparing a second reaction mixture comprising:
• (a) a coupling agent having at least one functional moiety as a second precursor to the laked pigment and (b) a sterically bulky stabilizer compound having one or more functional groups that associate non-covalently with the coupling agent;
• and (c) a liquid medium
• combining the first reaction mixture into the second reaction mixture to form a solution and
• effecting a direct coupling reaction which forms a monoazo laked pigment composition wherein the functional moiety associates non-covalently with the functional group and having nanoscale particle size.

A process for preparing nanoscale monoazo laked pigment particles, comprising:

• providing a monoazo precursor dye to the monoazo laked pigment that has at least one functional moiety;
• subjecting the monoazo precursor dye to an ion exchange reaction with a metal cation salt in the presence of a sterically bulky stabilizer compound having one or more functional groups;
• and
• precipitating the monoazo laked pigment as nanoscale particles, wherein the functional moiety of the pigment associates non-covalently with the functional group of the stabilizer and having nanoscale particle size.