N-alkyl- or n-aryl-aminopyrazolone merocyanine dye-donor element used in thermal dye transfer

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(11)

EP 0 257 577 A3

(12)	EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)	Date of publication A3:
	26.07.1989 Bulletin 1989/30

(43)	Date of publication A2:
	02.03.1988 Bulletin 1988/09

(21)	Application number: 87112145.5

(22)	Date of filing: 21.08.1987

(51)	International Patent Classification (IPC)⁴: B41M 5/26

(84)	Designated Contracting States:
	BE CH DE FR GB LI NL

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Priority:

22.08.1986 US 899273
06.10.1986 US 915451
08.06.1987 US 59443

(71)	Applicant: EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY (a New Jersey corporation)
	Rochester, New York 14650 (US)

(72)	Inventors:
	Byers, Gary Wayne Rochester New York 14650 (US) Evans, Steven Rochester New York 14650 (US) Weber, Helmut Rochester New York 14650 (US)

(74)	Representative: Brandes, Jürgen, Dr. rer. nat.
	Wuesthoff & Wuesthoff Patent- und Rechtsanwälte Schweigerstrasse 2 81541 München 81541 München (DE)

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References cited: :

(54)	N-alkyl- or n-aryl-aminopyrazolone merocyanine dye-donor element used in thermal dye transfer

(57) A dye-donor element for thermal dye transfer comprises a support having thereon a 3-(N-alkyl- or N-aryl-amino)-2-pyrazolin-5-one merocyanine dye dispersed in a polymeric binder, the merocyanine dye being capable of transfer by diffusion to a dye-receiving element upon the application of heat and being incapable of substantial photolysis, the merocyanine dye being substituted or unsubstituted on the bridging methine carbon atoms.
In a preferred embodiment, the merocyanine dye has the formula:

wherein:
R represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group of from 6 to 10 carbon atoms;
R¹ and R² each independently represents hydrogen, with the proviso that only one of R¹ and R² may be hydrogen at the same time; a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group of from 6 to 10 carbon atoms; or R¹ and R² may be combined together with the nitrogen to which they are attached to form a heterocyclic ring system;
R³ is R;
n represents 0 or 1; and
Z represents the atoms necessary to complete a 5- or 6-membered substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic ring.

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