Azamethine compounds, process for preparing the same and a medium for recording optical information using such compounds

Azamethine compounds (suitable for use in the recording layer of an optical information recording medium) have the formula: in which X is a group [in which R5 and R6 are the same or are different and each is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl group or a cyclohexyl group, or R5 and R6 together form a ring which may contain a hetero atom; R7 and R8 are the same or are different and each is a hydrogen or halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or alkoxyl, hydroxyl, nitro or cyano group, or a group -A-R or and R and R' are the same or are different and each is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl group or a heterocyclic cyclohexyl group), R9 is hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl or heteroaryl group and R10, R11 and R12 are the same are different and each is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group]; Y is a group C=O, C=C(CN)2 or SO; R1, R2, R3 and R4 are the same or are different and each is a hydrogen or halogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy or amino group, a nitro, cyano or hydroxyl group or a group -A-R or (as defined above); provided that when Y is a group C=C(CN)2, X is a group. in which R5, R9, R10, R11 and R12 have the meanings defined above; R7 is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or alkoxyl group, a hydroxyl group, a halogen atom or a group -O @-R'' (wherein R'' is an optionally substituted alkyl group); and R8 is a hydrogen or halogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or alkoxyl group.