Organic Pigments from Twisted Benzidine formerly Novel Twisted Benzidines for Dyes and Pigments

NCSU is currently seeking an industry partner to commercialize new organic pigments from twisted benzidines. This technology is protected under US Patent No. 5965717. Abstract There is currently an urgent need to find substitutes for lead-based pigments that will be removed from commerce. The problem with current synthetic organic colorants derived from benzidine derivatives is that they employ benzidine analogs that are mutagenic in vitro and carcinogenic in laboratory animals. This invention is a group of highly twisted nonmutagenic benzidine derivatives suitable to be used as intermediates in the preparation of colorants for the coloration of textiles plastics printing inks and paints. Given the fact that benzidine derivatives are nonmutagenic this invention provides a method for the preparation and utilization of colorants posing reduced occupational and environmental risk relative to currently employed mutagenic benzidines.