Abstract A series of naphthalimide-based alkali-clearable azo disperse dyes containing a fluorosulfonyl group was synthesized. 4-Fluorosulfonylaniline, 4-fluorosulfonyl-2-nitroaniline and 6-chloro-4-fluorosulfonyl-2-nitroaniline as the diazo components were prepared from N- acetylsulfanilyl chloride and were subsequently coupled with 4-hydroxy-N-3-methoxypropyl- 1, 8-naphthalimide. The synthesized dyes and their intermediates were characterized by ...