Water-soluble amine-linked polymeric colorants

Claim 2

A water-soluble polymeric coloring composition consisting essentially of n units of an organic optically chromophoric group, A, and m units of a sulfur oxide water-solubilizing groups selected from the group consisting of sulfonate group and 2 to 4 carbon alkyl sulfonate groups attached through amine linkages selected from the group consisting of the secondary amine linkage and 1 to 4 carbon alkyl-substituted tertiary amine linkages directly to separate carbon atoms of a saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon backbone, wherein n is from 0.2 to 4 times m, the sum of n plus m is a value from 20 to 3000 and the coloring composition has a molecular weight of from 2000 to 2,000,000.

Claim 3

The water-soluble polymeric coloring composition of claim 1 wherein said amine linkages are secondary amine linkages.

Claim 4

The water-soluble polymeric coloring composition of claim 1 wherein the organic optically chromophoric group comprises an optically chromophoric anthraquinone group.

Claim 5

The water-soluble polymeric coloring composition of claim 1 wherein the sulfur oxide water-solubilizing group is sulfonate.

Claim 6

A water-soluble polymeric coloring composition consisting essentially of m ##STR104## groups and ##STR105## groups randomly linked together through covalent carbon-carbon bonds into a ##STR106## polymer having a linear aliphatic hydrocarbon backbone wherein n and m are integers such that the sum of n plus m is a value of from 20 to 3000, n is from 0.2 to 4 times m, A is an optically chromophoric organic group and the coloring composition has a molecular weight of from 2000 to 2,000,000.

Claim 7

A water-soluble polymeric coloring composition consisting essentially of m ##STR104## groups and ##STR105## groups randomly linked together through covalent carbon-carbon bonds into a ##STR106## polymer having a linear aliphatic hydrocarbon backbone wherein n and m are integers such that the sum of n plus m is a value of from 20 to 3000, n is from 0.2 to 4 times m, A is an optically chromophoric organic group and the coloring composition has a molecular weight of from 2000 to 2,000,000.

Claim 8

The coloring composition of claim 5 wherein A is an optically chromophoric organic anthraquinone group.

Claim 9

A water soluble coloring composition comprising n ##STR107## groups and m ##STR108## groups randomly linked together through covalent carbon-carbon bonds into a linear aliphatic polymer wherein n and m are integers such that the sum of n plus m is a value of from 20 to 3000, n is from 0.4 to 2 times m and A is an optically chromophoric group represented by the formula: ##STR109## wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyls of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and aryls of about 6 carbon atoms, R 2 is selected from the group consisting of 1 to 4 carbon atom lower alkyls, 1 to 4 carbon atom lower alkoxies, and aryls of about 6 carbon atoms, and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and 1 to 4 carbon atom lower alkyls.

Claim 10

A water soluble coloring composition comprising n ##STR107## groups and m ##STR108## groups randomly linked together through covalent carbon-carbon bonds into a linear aliphatic polymer wherein n and m are integers such that the sum of n plus m is a value of from 20 to 3000, n is from 0.4 to 2 times m and A is an optically chromophoric group represented by the formula: ##STR109## wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyls of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and aryls of about 6 carbon atoms, R 2 is selected from the group consisting of 1 to 4 carbon atom lower alkyls, 1 to 4 carbon atom lower alkoxies, and aryls of about 6 carbon atoms, and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and 1 to 4 carbon atom lower alkyls.

Claim 11

The coloring composition of claim 7 wherein R 1 is hydrogen and R 3 is a lower alkyl of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms inclusive.

Claim 12

The coloring composition claim 8 wherein R 2 is methyl.

Claim 13

The coloring composition of claim 9 wherein R 3 is methyl.

Claim 14

The coloring composition of claim 8 wherein R 2 is methoxy or ethoxy.

Claim 15

The coloring composition of claim 11 wherein R 3 is methyl and R 2 is ethoxy.

Claim 16

The coloring composition of claim 7 wherein R 1 is a lower alkyl of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and R 3 is hydrogen.

Claim 17

The coloring composition of claim 13 wherein R 1 is methyl.

Claim 18

The coloring composition of claim 14 wherein R 2 is methoxy.

Claim 19

The coloring composition of claim 14 wherein R 2 is methyl.

Claim 20

A water-soluble coloring composition comprising n ##STR110## groups and m ##STR111## groups randomly linked together through covalent carbon-carbon bonds into a linear aliphatic polymer wherein n and m are integers such that the sum of n plus m is a value of from 20 to 3000, n is from 0.4 to 2 times n and A is an optically chromophoric group represented by the formula: ##STR112## wherein R 1 is hydrogen or methyl, R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyls of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyls of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, the halogens, cyano and nitro.

Claim 21

A water-soluble coloring composition comprising n ##STR110## groups and m ##STR111## groups randomly linked together through covalent carbon-carbon bonds into a linear aliphatic polymer wherein n and m are integers such that the sum of n plus m is a value of from 20 to 3000, n is from 0.4 to 2 times n and A is an optically chromophoric group represented by the formula: ##STR112## wherein R 1 is hydrogen or methyl, R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and lower alkyls of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and R 3 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyls of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, the halogens, cyano and nitro.

Claim 22

The coloring composition of claim 17 wherein R 1 is hydrogen and R 2 is methyl.

Claim 23

The coloring composition of claim 17 wherein R 1 is methyl, R 2 is hydrogen and R 3 is hydrogen.

Claim 24

A water-soluble coloring composition comprising n optically chromophoric anthraquinone groups and m sulfonate groups individually attached through amine linkages selected from the secondary amine linkage and 1 to 4 carbon alkyl-substituted tertiary amine linkages directly to essentially one-half the carbons of a linear aliphatic hydrocarbon polymer backbone of not less than 40 carbon atoms, wherein n and m are numbers and n is from 0.2 to 4 times m and wherein the composition is nontoxic, having a value for the sum of n plus m in the range of from 20 to 3000 such that the molecular size of the composition substantially prevents the passage of molecules of the composition through the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract when the composition is ingested.

Claim 25

A water-soluble coloring composition comprising n optically chromophoric anthraquinone groups and m sulfonate groups individually attached through amine linkages selected from the secondary amine linkage and 1 to 4 carbon alkyl-substituted tertiary amine linkages directly to essentially one-half the carbons of a linear aliphatic hydrocarbon polymer backbone of not less than 40 carbon atoms, wherein n and m are numbers and n is from 0.2 to 4 times m and wherein the composition is nontoxic, having a value for the sum of n plus m in the range of from 20 to 3000 such that the molecular size of the composition substantially prevents the passage of molecules of the composition through the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract when the composition is ingested.

Claim 26

The coloring composition of claim 20 wherein n is from 0.4 to 2 times m.