Abstract: Nonmutagenic, highly twisted derivatives of benzidine of the following formula ##STR1## useful as intermediates for the preparation of various organic pigments were obtained. The benzidine derivatives are significantly rotated about the biphenyl linkage due to bulky substituents at the R.sub.2 and/or R.sub.4 positions. Bisazomethine, disaoacetoacetanilide, disazopyrazolone, disazobenzimidazolone and disazonaphthol pigments prepared from these highly twisted benzidines exhibit hypsochromic spectral shifts relative to pigments prepared from other benzidine compounds with less twist about the biphenyl linkage, for instance, other benzidine compounds in which all four R.sub.2 and R.sub.4 represent H. Greenish-yellow, yellow, orange, red and brown pigments obtained from the twisted benzidines are nonmutagenic in the standard Ames test and Prival modification.

Abstract: A family of 1:2 Fe-complexed formazan dyes is described. The dyes unexpectedly afford reddish-violet, violet, blue and black shades on natural and synthetic substrates. Methods for synthesizing the dyes and for dyeing a substrate are described. The dyes represent environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional Cr- and Co-based azo and formazan dyes.