The preparation of a number of dimethylamino-azobenzene deri- vatives of the Types I-IV (see formulae below) is described. The choice of the methods of preparation depends on considerations about steric effects on mesomerism. ... For the purpose of investigations on the influence of steric inhibition of the mesomerism on the absorption spectra of 4-dimethylamino- azobenzene derivatives in neutral and acid medium, which will shortly be published 1, we required the ...