Ink jet ink, ink jet recording method, ink cartridge, recording unit and ink jet recording apparatus

An ink jet ink comprising at least a coloring material and a water-soluble organic solvent;

• wherein
• the water-soluble organic solvent comprises a branched alkanediol having hydroxyl groups at both terminals of its main chain and at least one of a compound represented by the following general formula (1) and a compound represented by the following general formula (2):
• R1-[A]-R2 General formula (1)
• wherein A is —S—, —S(═O)— or —S(═O)2—;
• and R1 and R2 are each independently a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, an alkyl group, a hydroxyalkyl group, an alkenyl group, an acyl group, a carbamoyl group, a carboxyl group or a sulfonyl group, provided that R1 and R2 are not simultaneously hydrogen atom(s) and/or hydroxyl group(s);
• and
• wherein R3 and R5 are each independently a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, a carboxyl group or a sulfonyl group;
• R4 is a hydrogen atom, hydroxyl group, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, carboxyl group or sulfonyl group which is bonded to any carbon atom except for the nitrogen atoms and carbonyl group that constitute the five-membered ring;
• and n is an integer of 0 to 4.