Magenta dye-donor element used in thermal transfer and thermal transfer

Abstract

A magenta dye-donor element and a thermal transfer sheet using it which can provide good printed images are disclosed. This magenta dye-donor element comprises a magenta dye dispersed or dissolved in a polymeric binder, said magenta dye comprising a dye represented by the following formula (I): ##STR1## wherein X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 each represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a trifluoromethyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl group or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkoxy and a dye represented by the following formula (II): ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represents a hydrogen atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl group, a phenyl group, or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group substituted with a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy-carbonyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl-carbonyloxy group, an aminocarbonyl group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy-carbonyloxy group, a cyano group, a phenyl group or a chlorine atom, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 each represents a hydrogen atom, a chlorine atom, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alky; group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl-carbonylamino group, a phenylcarbonylamino group or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy group, and R.sub.5 and R.sub.6 each represents a hydrogen atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, a cyano group, a thiocyano group, a nitro group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl group, or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylthio group or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkylsulfonyl group. Preferably the magenta dye contains, in combination with the above two dyes, a dye represented by the following forumla (III): ##STR3## wherein Y represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl group or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkoxy group which may have a substituent.