An azo compound excellent in solubility in solvent and having a high absorbance coefficient is disclosed, as well as an ink containing the azo compound. Such an ink contains a solvent having a relative permittivity at 22° C. and at a measurement frequency of 1 kHz of 3 or less and having a solubility in water at 25° C. of 20 mg/L or less, and an azo compound.

An azo compound excellent in solubility in solvent and having a high absorbance coefficient is disclosed, as well as an ink containing the azo compound. Such an ink contains a solvent having a relative permittivity at 22° C. and at a measurement frequency of 1 kHz of 3 or less and having a solubility in water at 25° C. of 20 mg/L or less, and an azo compound.

Provided is a compound represented by formula (1). In formula (1), Ar.sup.1, Ar.sup.2, and Ar.sup.3 represent a 1,4-phenylene group or a divalent sulfur-containing aromatic heterocyclic group optionally having a substituent, and at least one of Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 has a fluorine atom as a substituent; n represents 1 or 2; R.sup.1 represents a single bond or a group selected from the group consisting of —OC(═O)—, —C(═O)O—, —C≡C—, —CH═CH—, —CH═N—, and —N═CH—; R.sup.2 represents an alkylamino group or an alkoxy group; R.sup.3 represents a group selected from the group consisting of an alkanediyl group, an alkanediyloxy group, an alkanediyloxycarbonyl group, and an alkanediylcarbonyloxy group; and R.sup.4 represents a polymerizable group or a hydrogen atom.

R.sup.4—R.sup.3-Ar.sup.1-(-R.sup.1-Ar.sup.2-).sub.n-N═N-Ar.sup.3-R.sup.2  (1)

Provided is a compound represented by formula (1). In formula (1), Ar.sup.1, Ar.sup.2, and Ar.sup.3 represent a 1,4-phenylene group or a divalent sulfur-containing aromatic heterocyclic group optionally having a substituent, and at least one of Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 has a fluorine atom as a substituent; n represents 1 or 2; R.sup.1 represents a single bond or a group selected from the group consisting of OC(O), C(O)O, CC, CHCH, CHN, and NCH; R.sup.2 represents an alkylamino group or an alkoxy group; R.sup.3 represents a group selected from the group consisting of an alkanediyl group, an alkanediyloxy group, an alkanediyloxycarbonyl group, and an alkanediylcarbonyloxy group; and R.sup.4 represents a polymerizable group or a hydrogen atom.
R.sup.4R.sup.3Ar.sup.1(R.sup.1Ar.sup.2).sub.n-NN-Ar.sup.3R.sup.2(1)