Azinoneutromethine and its preparation

PURPOSE: To obtain an azinoneutromethine useful as a dye in thermal and photochromic recording materials, as a nonlinear optical material and for dyeing polyester fibers, etc. CONSTITUTION: The azinoneutromethine (e.g. a compd. of formula II) is represented by formula I [where R 1 is a 1-22C alkyl, 4-10C cycloalkyl, 7-14C aralkyl, 6-10C aryl or the like; R 2 and R 3 are each H, a halogen, hydroxyl, cyano, 1-8C alkyl, 1-8C alkoxy, 4-10C cycloalkoxy, 7-14C aralkyloxy or 1-20C acylamino; R 4 and R 5 are each cyano, a 1-8C alkoxycarbonyl, 4-7C cycloalkoxycarbonyl, 6-10C aryloxycarbonyl, aminocarbonyl, mono- or di-1-8C alkylaminocarbonyl or the like; A comes into benzo- or naphtho-fusion on occasion and further contains N, O or S on occasion; B is CRB=CH (RB is H or a 1-6C alkyl); and (x) is 0 or 1]. COPYRIGHT: (C)1994,JPO