Process for the manufacture of dyestuffs

Water-soluble dyestuffs are made by quaternising a water-insoluble metal or metal-free Bz-azaphthalocyanine containing at least 2 Bz-aza radicals. The quaternising agents used are alkyl sulphates, aryl sulphonic acid alkyl esters, aralkyl halides, epichlorhydrin and monochloroacetic acid. By treating these dyestuffs, in substance or on a textile material, with alkali, preferably at elevated temperature, water-insoluble dyestuffs are formed. The textile materials which may be of natural or regenerated cellulose or silk, are dyed by treatment with an aqueous solution of the water-soluble dyestuff followed by treatment with an alkali, preferably at elevated temperature, to give violet, grey to greenish-blue shades. Examples are given. Cotton fabric is printed with an aqueous paste containing the water-soluble dyestuff, a thickener and sodium acetate and then steamed to give a violet-black shade. Specification 877,894 is referred to.