| abstract |
A cyan dye-donor element for thermal dye transfer imaging comprising a support having thereon a dye layer comprising a dye dispersed in a polymeric binder, wherein the dye comprises a mixture of at least three different 2-carbamoyl-4-[N-(p-aminoaryl)-imino]-1,4-naphthoquinone dyes, each of the dyes having the formula: <IMAGE> wherein R1, R2 and R3 each individually represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of from 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group of from about 5 to about 7 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group of from about 5 to about 10 carbon atoms or an allyl group; R2 and R3 may be combined together to form a 5- or 6-membered ring; R2 and/or R3 may be combined with one or two of X to form a 5- or 6-membered ring; R4 and X each individually represents hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group of from about 1 to about 6 carbon atoms, halogen, -NHCOR1 or -NHSO2R1; and n represents an integer from 1 to 4; with the proviso that at least one of the dyes is characterized by having R1 represent an unbranched alkyl group of from 2 to 4 carbon atoms, which may be substituted by an alkoxy group of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and/or having one or both of R2 and R3 represent a branched alkyl group of from 3 to 6 carbon atoms. |