Washable ink compositions

Claim 1

A washable, aqueous ink composition for a color marking pen which comprises an ink composition having a viscosity of from about 1.0 to about 6.0 centipoises and from about 10% to about 50% by weight of one or more polymeric colorants of the formula: [(X).sub.d --(CHROM)--{[R.sub.1 (RO).sub.a Y].sub.b }.sub.c ]X.sub.d --(CHROM)--{R.sub.1 [(RO).sub.a --Y].sub.b }.sub.c wherein: X is a polar group selected from sulfonic acids, sulfonic acid salts, sulfonamides, sulfonates, carboxylic acids, carboxylic acid salts, carboxylic acid amides, carboxylic aldehydes, ureas, thioureas, nitro groups, hydroxy groups, polyethers, and hydroxyalkylethers; R is unsubstituted or substituted straight or branched alkylene of 2-4 carbons, or mixtures thereof; Y is selected from H, alkanoyl, aroyl, alkoxycarbonyl, unsubstituted or substituted carbamoyl, diacetate, methyl or --CH 2 CH(R 2 )--X; R 1 is selected from nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, or a sulfurcontaining divalent linking group; R 2 is hydrogen or a lower alkyl group containing one to about five carbon atoms; a is an integer of from 6 to about 40; b and c are each independently selected from one or two; d is an integer of from one to four; the product of (a) (b) (c) is an integer of from 6 to about 40; and CHROM is a chromophore selected from nitro, nitroso, monoazo, disazo and trisazo, diarylmethane, triarylmethane, xanthane, acridine, methine, thiazole, indamine, azine, oxazine, or anthraquinone, wherein the (RO) a moiety is bonded to a carbocyclic aromatic ring of the (CHROM) through R 1 .