Polymerization of monomeric color couplets

Claim 1

A process of making a color photographic material comprising a support and a layer comprising gelatin and as a color-coupling agent a water-insoluble homopolymer of a solid water-insoluble ethylenically unsaturated color coupling monomer or a water-insoluble copolymer of said monomer with a water-insoluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer, which process comprises the steps of: (1) forming an aqueous dispersion of up to 65% by weight of said polymeric color coupling agent by polymerizing an emulsion in water of a solution of a solid water-insoluble ethylenically unsaturated color coupling monomer capable of undergoing free radical addition polymerization at a temperature below the melting point of said monomer or a mixture thereof with a water-insoluble ethylenically unsaturated monomer, said solution being in a solvent for said monomer selected from the group consisting of organic solvents substantially inert with respect to said color coupling monomer and the free radical polymerization products thereof, liquid water-insoluble copolymerizable monomers and mixtures of such organic solvents and such liquid copolymerizable monomers; (2) mixing an aqueous gelatin solution with the said aqueous dispersion of said polymeric color coupling agent; and (3) applying to said support a layer comprising said mixture of step (2).