Receiver for thermally-transferable fluorescent europium complexes

• US 5,011,816 A
• Filed: 03/13/1990
• Issued: 04/30/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Original Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
• Inventors: Byers, Gary W., Chapman, Derek D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Bruce H.
• Application Number:
  US07/493,077
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 8/471, 428/195, 428/480, 428/913, 428/914, 503/227
• US Class Current: 503/227
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/142 using chemical colour-formers or chemical reactions, e.g. leuco-dye/acid, photochromes
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/144 using fluorescent, luminescent or iridescent effects
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/38235 characterised by transferable colour-forming materials
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/5227 characterised by organic non-macromolecular additives, e.g. UV-absorbers, plasticisers, surfactants
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/914 Transfer or decalcomania
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 430/142 Dye mordant

Abstract

A receiving element for thermal transfer comprising a support having thereon a polymeric image-receiving layer which also contains a monodentate or bidentate ligand capable of reacting with a 6-coordinate europium(III) complex, transferred from a donor element, to form a higher coordinate complex in situ. In a preferred embodiment, the higher coordinate complex which is formed has the formula: ##STR1## wherein: D is a substituted or unsubstituted, aromatic, 5- or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic moiety;

J is --CF₃, --CH₃, --CH₂ F or --CHF₂ ; and

B represents at least one monodentate ligand with an electron-donating oxygen or nitrogen atom or at least one bidentate ligand with two electron-donating oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur atoms capable of forming a 5- or 6-membered ring with the europium atom.

Claims

1. In a receiving element for thermal transfer comprising a support having thereon a polymeric image-receiving layer, the improvement wherein said image-receiving layer also contains a coordinate complex having the formula:

##STR16## wherein;

D is a substituted or unsubstituted, aromatic, 5-or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic moiety;

J is --CF₃, --CH₃, --CH₂ F or --CHF₂ ; and

B represents at least one monodentate ligand with an electron-donating oxygen or nitrogen atom or at least one bidentate ligand with two electron-donating oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur atoms capable of forming a 5- or 6-membered ring with the europium atom.

2. The element of claim 1 wherein B represents tri-n-octylphosphine oxide, pyridine-N-oxide or triphenylphosphine oxide.

3. The element of claim 1 wherein B represents 2,2'"'"'-bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline, ethylene diamine or 1,2-diaminobutane.

4. The element of claim 1 wherein D represents phenyl, 2-thienyl, 2-furyl or 3-pyridyl.

5. In a process of forming a transfer image comprising:

(a) imagewise-heating a donor element comprising a support having on one side thereof a layer comprising a material dispersed in a polymeric binder, and

(b) transferring an image to a receiving element comprising a support having thereon an image-receiving layer to form said transfer image,

the improvement wherein said material is a 6-coordinate europium(III) complex and said image-receiving layer also contains a monodentate or bidentate ligand capable of reacting with said 6-coordinate europium(III) complex to form a higher coordinate complex, said 6-coordinate europium(III) complex having the formula;

##STR17## wherein;

D is a substituted or unsubstituted, aromatic, 5-or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic moiety; and

J is --CF₃, --CH₃, --CH₂ F or --CHF₂.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein said higher coordinate complex has the formula:

##STR18## wherein;

D is a substituted or unsubstituted, aromatic, 5- or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic moiety;

J is --CF₃, --CH₃, --CH₂ F or --CHF₂ ; and

B represents at least one monodentate ligand with an electron-donating oxygen or nitrogen atom or at least one bidentate ligand with two electron-donating oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur atoms atoms capable of forming a 5-or 6-membered ring with the europium atom.

7. In a thermal transfer assemblage comprising:

(a) a donor element comprising a support having on one side thereof a layer comprising a material dispersed in a polymeric binder, and

(b) a receiving element comprising a support having thereon an image-receiving layer,

said receiving element being in a superposed relationship with said donor element so that said material layer is in contact with said image-receiving layer, the improvement wherein said material is a 6-coordinate europium(III) complex and said image-receiving layer also contains a monodentate or bidentate ligand capable of reacting with said 6-coordinate europium(III) complex to form a higher coordinate complex, said 6-coordinate europium(III) complex having the formula;

##STR19## wherein;

D is a substituted or unsubstituted, aromatic, 5-or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic moiety; and

J is --CF₃, --CH₃, --CH₂ F or --CHF₂.

8. The assemblage of claim 7 wherein D represents phenyl, 2-thienyl, 2-furyl or 3-pyridyl.

9. The assemblage of claim 7 wherein said higher coordinate complex has the formula:

##STR20## wherein;

D is a substituted or unsubstituted, aromatic, 5- or 6-membered carbocyclic or heterocyclic moiety;

J is --CF₃, --CH₃, --CH₂ F or --CHF₂ ; and

B represents at least one monodentate ligand with an electron-donating oxygen or nitrogen atom or at least one bidentate ligand with two electron-donating oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur atoms atoms capable of forming a 5-or 6-membered ring with the europium atom.

10. The assemblage of claim 9 wherein B represents tri-n-octylphosphine oxide, pyridine-N-oxide or triphenylphosphine oxide.

11. The assemblage of claim 9 wherein B represents 2,2'"'"'-bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline, ethylene diamine or 1,2-diaminobutane.

12. The assemblage of claim 9 wherein D represents phenyl, 2-thienyl, 2-furyl or 3-pyridyl.