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

Claim 1

A dye-donor element for laser-induced thermal dye transfer comprising a support having thereon a dye layer and an infrared-absorbing material, characterized in that said infrared-absorbing material is a cyanine dye having the following formula: wherein: R¹ and R² each independently represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group; R³ R⁴, and R⁵ each independently represents hydrogen or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group; or R³ and R⁴ may be joined together, directly or through one or more methyne or methylene groups to complete a substituted or unsubstituted cyclic ring of 5 to 9 members; Z¹ and Z² each independently represents hydrogen or the atoms necessary to complete a unsubstituted or substituted benzene or naphthalene ring; Y¹ and Y² each independently represents a dialkyl-substituted carbon atom, a vinylene group, an oxygen atom, a sulphur atom, a selenium atom, or a nitrogen atom with an R¹ or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group attached; J represents hydrogen; a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group; a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; a halogen atom; or a nitrogen atom substituted with an alkyl or aryl group, or the atoms necessary to complete a 5- or 6-membered heterocyclic ring; n is 0 or 1; and X is a monovalent anion.