New monoazo dyestuffs of the benzene-azo-benzene series,their production and dyeing process therewith

The invention comprises monoazo dyes of formula wherein x is a chlorine or bromine atom, y is a hydrogen atom or a methyl or ethyl radical, R1 is a methyl or ethyl radical and R2 is a mono- or di-hydroxy-alkyl radical containing 1-3 carbon atoms which may be etherified with C1-C6 alkanols or esterified with C1-C6 alkanoic acids. The dyes are prepared by the usual coupling reaction from a diazotized 2-cyano-4-nitroaniline and a suitable N : N-di-substituted aniline. The dyes may be used to colour hydrophobic fibres e.g. cellulose ester and aromatic polyester fibres in red to violet shades. In an example 2-nitro-4-cyano-6-bromoaniline is diazotized with nitrosylsulphuric acid and coupled in glacial acetic acid with 1-(N-ethyl-N-acetoxyethyl) amino-3-methylbenzene. Further examples are specified.