1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel azo compounds and a process for preparing the same and, more particularly, to the azo compounds and a process for preparing the azo compounds represented by the formula: ##STR2## wherein X is hydrogen or halogen. The azo compounds are useful as precursors of disperse dyes and basic dyes and are effective for therapeutic treatment.
2. Brief Description of Prior Art
Generally, azo compounds are known to be useful as dyes including disperse and basic dyes. It is also known that imidazole can be a component to form various azo compounds. It is not known, however, that the azo compounds of the above formula can be basic and disperse dyes and that in particular they are effective for therapeutic treatment.
It is generally known that, when imidazole is used as a coupling component of azo compounds, it is usually employed in an amount of from about 1 to 1.5 moles based on a diazo component to which imidazole is coupled. In this case, however, the reaction permits the production of by-products in which the diazo component may be coupled to the 4-imidazolyl group or one more diazo components may be coupled to the 4-imidazolyl group. Accordingly, this reaction has a drawback in not providing the azo compounds in a pure form.