INFRARED RAY ABSORBING MEROCYANINE DYE FOR DYE DONATING ELEMENT WHICH IS USED FOR LASER INDUCTION DYE HEAT 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 merocyanine dye. In a preferred embodiment, the merocyanine dye has the following formula: CHEM wherein: R represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or hetaryl group having from 5 to 10 atoms; R1, R2, R3, and R4 each independently represents hydrogen, halogen, cyano, alkoxy, aryloxy, acyloxy, aryloxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonyl, sulf onyl, carbamoyl, acyl, acylamido, alkylamino, arylamino or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl or hetaryl group; or any two of said R, R1, R2, R3 and R4 groups may be joined together to complete a 5- to 7-membered substituted or unsubstituted carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring; A represents hydrogen, -COR, -CO2R, -CONHR, -CONR2, -SO2R, -SO2NHR, -SO2NR2-SR, or -CN; B represents -NHR, -NR2, -OR, -SR or -R; or A or B may be joined together or with R3 or R4 to complete a 5- to 7-membered substituted or unsubstituted carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring; Y represents a dialkyl-substituted carbon atom, a vinylene group, an oxygen atom, a sulphur atom, a selenium atom, a tellurium atom, NR, or a direct bond to the carbon at the R2 position; Z represents the atoms necessary to complete a 5- to 7-membered substituted or unsubstituted carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring; and n is 3 to 5.