A thermal transfer sheet that yields three-color black printed matter having an extremely high density, and a method for producing printed matter using the thermal transfer sheet are provided. The thermal transfer sheet includes a substrate film and a dye layer containing a magenta dye disposed on one surface of the substrate film, and the magenta dye includes at least one of an anthraquinone-based dye represented by general formula (1) below and an anthraquinone-based dye represented by general formula (2) below. An image is formed by a thermal transfer method using the thermal transfer sheet. (In general formula (1), R.sup.1 is a phenyl group which may have a substituent. In general formula (2), R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. R.sup.a and R.sup.b are each independently a hydrogen atom or a nitro group.)

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An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer recording sheet that provides an image that is excellent in light fastness and has a satisfactory imbalance. The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording sheet including a substrate and dye layers (a yellow dye layer, a magenta dye layer, and a cyan dye layer), in which one or more kinds of the dye layers each contain one or more kinds of specific compounds. The present invention also relates to a thermal transfer recording sheet including a substrate, dye layers, and a protective layer for protecting the surface of an image, in which the protective layer contains one or more kinds of specific compounds.

A thermal transfer recording medium comprises a heat-resistant lubricating layer laminated on a first surface of a substrate, and an undercoat layer and a dye layer laminated in this order on a second surface of the substrate. The dye layer contains, as binders, a polyvinyl acetal resin, a phenoxy resin, and a graft copolymer having a main chain comprising polycarbonate and a side chain comprising a vinyl-based polymer, and also contains Compounds I, II, and III as cyan dyes.

In a thermal transfer recording sheet including a base material and a colorant layer, the colorant layer includes a yellow dye layer containing a yellow dye, a magenta dye layer containing a magenta dye, and a cyan dye layer containing a cyan dye, and the cyan dye includes a compound represented by Formula (1a) or Formula (1b): ##STR00001##
where R.sub.1 to R.sub.7 are substituents, X.sup. is an anion, and the compound of Formula (1b) has at least one anionic substituent.

A thermal transfer recording medium comprises a heat-resistant lubricating layer laminated on a first surface of a substrate, and an undercoat layer and a dye layer laminated in this order on a second surface of the substrate. The dye layer contains, as binders, a polyvinyl acetal resin, a phenoxy resin, and a graft copolymer having a main chain comprising polycarbonate and a side chain comprising a vinyl-based polymer, and also contains Compounds I, II, and III as cyan dyes.

The present invention provides a Sublimation thermal transfer sheet capable of coping with high-speed printers, securing desired densities, and further excellent in the lightfastness and the durability of the print, and a combination of the Sublimation thermal transfer sheet and a transfer receiving article. In the Sublimation thermal transfer sheet provided with at least a yellow colorant layer, a magenta colorant layer, and a cyan colorant layer provided in this order on a substrate, as being frame sequentially, predetermined colorants are contained in predetermined contents in the yellow colorant layer and the magenta colorant layer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a thermal transfer recording sheet that provides an image that is excellent in light fastness and has a satisfactory imbalance. The present invention relates to a thermal transfer recording sheet including a substrate and dye layers (a yellow dye layer, a magenta dye layer, and a cyan dye layer), in which one or more kinds of the dye layers each contain one or more kinds of specific compounds. The present invention also relates to a thermal transfer recording sheet including a substrate, dye layers, and a protective layer for protecting the surface of an image, in which the protective layer contains one or more kinds of specific compounds.

A thermal transfer recording sheet set includes an image-receiving sheet that includes an image-receiving layer containing a compound represented by general formula (1) or (2) and an ink sheet that includes a yellow coloring material layer containing a particular dye and a cyan coloring material layer containing a particular dye.

In a thermal transfer recording sheet including a base material and a colorant layer, the colorant layer includes a yellow dye layer containing a yellow dye, a magenta dye layer containing a magenta dye, and a cyan dye layer containing a cyan dye, and the cyan dye includes a compound represented by Formula (Ia) or Formula (Ib):

##STR00001##

where R.sub.1 to R.sub.7 are substituents, X.sup. is an anion, and the compound of Formula (Ib) has at least one anionic substituent.

A thermal transfer recording sheet set includes an image-receiving sheet that includes an image-receiving layer containing a compound represented by general formula (1) or (2) and an ink sheet that includes a yellow coloring material layer containing a particular dye and a cyan coloring material layer containing a particular dye.