Free amine-containing polymeric dyes

Claim 1

A process for dyeing a proteinaceous fiber substrate which comprises applying to said substrate a solution of a free amine-containing polymeric colorant comprising an aqueous solvent of pH 2.0 to 4 inclusive in which is dissolved from 100 ppm to 0.5% by weight of a polymeric colorant having the structural formula ##STR83## wherein R 1 and R 1 ' independently are selected from hydrogen and lower saturated alkyls of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R 2 and R 2 ' independently are selected from hydrogen, lower saturated alkyls of 1 to 4 carbon atoms and phenyl; R 3 is selected from a simple carbon to nitrogen single covalent bond, 1 to 4 carbon atom lower saturated alkylene bridges, and a (phenylene) bridge; R 4 is selected from hydrogen and lower saturated alkyls of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R 5 is selected from a carbon to carbon single bond, ethylene, a 1 to 4 carbon saturated alkylsubstituted ethylene, a 6-8 carbon aromatic-substituted ethylene, a ##STR84## substituted ethylene wherein R 7 is selected from hydrogen 1 to 4 carbon alkyls, and --O--CH 3 , an ##STR85## substituted ethylene, and a nitro-substituted ethylene, Chrom is an optically chromophoric group and n, p, and m are numbers such that n is at least 1/2m and the sum of n+m+p is such as to assure a molecular weight of at least 2000 to the colorant molecule, and thereafter rinsing the substrate with water and drying the substrate.