Couplers for hair coloring compositions for oxidative dyeing of hair are compounds of formula (1): wherein X is selected from halogen; R3 is selected from the group consisting of C1 to C2 alkyl and hydroxyethyl; and R, R1 and R2 are each independently selected from C1 to C22 alkyl or C1 to C22 mono or dialkyl groups, or two of R, R1 and R2 together with the the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a C3 to C6 cycloaliphatic or a C3 to C14 aromatic group, the cycloaliphatic or aromatic group optionally containing in their rings one or more hetero atoms selected from O, S and N atoms.