Infrared absorbing trinuclear cyanine dyes for dye-donor element used in laser-induced thermal dye transfer

摘要

A dye-donor element for laser-induced thermal dye transfer comprising a support having thereon a dye layer and an infrared-absorbing material which is different from the dye in the dye layer, characterized in that the infrared-absorbing material is a trinuclear cyanine dye which is located in the dye layer. In a preferred embodiment, the trinuclear cyanine dye has the following formula: wherein: R¹ R² and R³ each independently represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or cycloalkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an aryl or hetaryl group having from 5 to 10 atoms;R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷ and R⁸ each independently represents hydrogen, halogen, cyano, alkoxy, aryloxy, acyloxy, aryloxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, sulfonyl, carbamoyl, acyl, acylamido, alkylamino, arylamino or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl or hetaryl group;or any of said R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷ and R⁸ groups may be combined with R¹, R² or R³ or with each other to form a 5- to 7-membered substituted or unsubstituted carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring;J is NR¹, O or S;Z¹ and Z² each independently represents hydrogen, R¹ or the atoms necessary to form a 5- to 7-membered substituted or unsubstituted carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring;Y¹ and Y² each independently represents a dialkyl-substituted carbon atom, a vinylene group, an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a selenium atom, a tellurium atom, NR¹ or a direct bond to the carbon at the R⁵ or R⁷ position;m and n are each independently 0 to 3, with the proviso that n+m is at least 3; andX is a monovalent anionic group isolated or covalently attached to any of said R¹, R², R³, R⁴, R⁵, R⁶, R⁷, R⁸, Z¹ or Z² groups.