Grafting printing of cellulose fabric with the reactive disperse dyes containing N-substituted 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl group

The printed cellulose and its blend materials have wide applications in many high-tech fields. Six new reactive disperse dyes (D1–D6) containing a 3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl group based on epichlorohydrin were designed and synthesized. The electronic absorption spectra and their grafting printing property for cotton fabrics were investigated. The grafting mechanism on cotton fabric was also discussed. The results show that these dyes had larger bathochromic shifts in stronger polar solvent, dimethylformamide, than in the weaker polar solvents, acetonitrile and acetone. 3-Chloro-2-hydroxypropyl functional group of the dyes could form covalent bond with the hydroxyl group on cellulose by a nucleophilic substituted reaction. The good color yields of D1–D6 on printed cotton fabric were obtained by curing at 170–180 °C. The reactive disperse dyes for printing cellulose fabric had good building up and better printing property. The light fastness, rubbing fastness and fastness to perspiration of the printed fabric were good. The reactive disperse dyes have potential application in cleaner production of printing cotton and cotton/polyester blend fabrics.