Abstract: Benzene diazonium compounds of the general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is alkylamino, dialkylamino, cycloalkylamino, dicycloalkylamino, cycloalkylalkylamino, aralkylamino, diaralkylamino, alkylaralkylamino, cycloalkylaralkylamino, arylamino, diarylamino, alkylarylamino, cycloalkylarylamino, acoylamino, acoylalkylamino, acoylcycloalkylamino, acoylaralkylamino, acoylarylamino, aroylamino, aroylalkylamino, aroylcycloalkylamino, aroylaralkylamino, aroylarylamino, morpholino, piperidino, triazinyl, alkylthio, hydroxyalkylthio, cycloalkylthio, aralkylthio, or arylthio; R.sub.2 is alkyl, aralkyl, aryl, or alkoxyalkyl; R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, R.sub.7 and R.sub.8 may be the same or different and are hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aralkyl, aryl, or halogen, at least one of the substituents R.sub.3 to R.sub.8 not being hydrogen; and X is an anion.