Polaroid Corporation

John W Lee

Stephen J Telfer

Donald A McGowan

Mark R Mischke

Socorro M Ramos

Michael J Zuraw

Paulina P Garcia

Thomas K Spencer

John L Marshall

Stephen G Stroud

Anthony J Puttick

Peter K Chu

Richard M Allen

Squarylium compounds, and processes and intermediates for the synthesis of these compounds

Squarylium compounds of the formula: ##STR1## wherein Q.sup.1 and Q.sup.2 are each independently a pyrylium, thiopyrylium, selenopyrylium, benzpyrylium, benzthiopyrylium or benzselenopyrylium nucleus, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic group, can be prepared by reacting a squaric acid derivative of the formula: ##STR2## with a compound of the formula Q.sup.2 CH.sub.2 R.sup.2 in the presence of a base.

Squarylium compounds, and processes and intermediates for the synthesis

Squarylium compounds of the formula: ##STR1## (in which Q.sup.1 and Q.sup.2 are each a chromophoric group having an aromatic unsaturated system conjugated with the squarylium ring and such that in the compounds of formulae Q.sup.1 CH.sub.2 R.sup.1 and Q.sup.2 CH.sub.2 R.sup.2 the methylene hydrogens are active hydrogens, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic group, and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each independently a hydrogen atom, or an acyl, aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic or heterocyclic group, subject to the proviso that one of R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 may be an amino or substituted amino group, or one of R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 is a hydrogen atom and the other is an organosulfonyl group, or R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 together with the intervening nitrogen atom form a nitrogenous heterocyclic ring) are useful as near infra-red absorbers. The presence of the amino group on the squarylium ring enables minor changes in absorption wavelength to be achieved by modifications of this group, and also allows functional groups to be incorporated into the dye without changing the chromophoric groups.

Processes for the preparation of squarylium dyes

Squarylium dyes, and processes and intermediates for the preparation

Squarylium compounds of the formula: ##STR1## wherein Q.sup.1 and Q.sup.2 are each independently a pyrylium, thiopyrylium, selenopyrylium, benzpyrylium, benzthiopyrylium or benzselenopyrylium nucleus, and R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic group, can be prepared by reacting a squaric acid derivative of the formula: ##STR2## with a compound of the formula Q.sup.2 CH.sub.2 R.sup.2 in the presence of a base. The derivatives of Formula II may be prepared by condensing a 2,3,4,4-tetrahalocyclobut-2-en-1-one with a compound of the formula Q.sup.1 CH.sub.2 R.sup.1 in the presence of a base to produce a compound of the formula: ##STR3## wherein Q.sup.1 and R.sup.1 are as defined above, and X represents chlorine or bromine, and hydrolyzing the compound of Formula III. Alternatively, the derivatives of Formula II may be prepared by reacting a diester, monoacid chloride monoester or diacid chloride of squaric acid with a compound of the formula Q.sup.1 CH.sub.2 R.sup.1 in the presence of a base, followed by hydrolysis of the resultant monoacid chloride or monoester derivative of the compound of Formula II to the parent compound.

Squarylium compounds of the formula: ##STR1## (in which Q.sup.1 and Q.sup.2 are each a chromophoric group having an unsaturated system conjugated with the squarylium ring and such that in the compounds of formulae Q.sup.1 CH.sub.2 R.sup.1 and Q.sup.2 CH.sub.2 R.sup.2 the methylene hydrogens are active hydrogens, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic or cycloaliphatic group, and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each independently a hydrogen atom, or an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic or heterocyclic group, or one of R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 is a hydrogen atom and the other is an organosulfonyl group, or R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 together with the intervening nitrogen atom form a cycloaliphatic or aromatic ring) are useful as near infra-red absorbers. The presence of the amino group on the squarylium ring enables minor changes in absorption wavelength to be achieved by modifications of this group, and also allows functional groups to be incorporated into the dye without changing the chromophoric groups.

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Still River, MA, United States of America

John W Lee