Novel electron donor precursors and photographic element containing them

Claim 2

In a photographic element processable by means of an alkaline processing composition, the element comprising a support, a silver halide emulsion having associated therewith an immobile compound which upon reduction under alkaline conditions will release a diffusible dye or photographic reagent, and an electron donor precursor, the improvement wherein the electron donor precursor comprises a compound represented by the structural formula: ##STR37## wherein: Z represents the atoms to complete a bi- or tricyclic ring system, each ring of which contains 5 to 6 nuclear atoms; n is 1 or 2; R 1 is a monovalent aromatic group when n is 1 and a bivalent aromatic group when n is 2; and R 2 represents hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an ester group or an amido group.

Claim 3

A photographic element of claim 1 wherein the electron donor precursor comprises a compound represented by the structural formula: ##STR38## wherein: n is 1 or 2; R 6 is hydrogen, halogen, amino, nitro, cyano, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido; R 5 is hydrogen, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido, provided that sulfonamido, carbonamido or phosphoramido substituents are not in the 4-position of the aromatic group; and R 2 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido.

Claim 4

A photographic element of claim 4 wherein n is 1; R 2 is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R 5 is hydrogen, halogen, nitro, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, phenyl, acyl, ester or amido, provided that if R 5 is sulfonamido, carbonamido or phosphoramido it is in the ortho or meta position; and R 6 is hydrogen, acyl, ester or amido.

Claim 5

A photographic element of claim 2 or 3 wherein R 2 , R 5 and R 6 are so chosen that the electron donor precursor is dispersible in aqueous coating compositions and is at least semi-immobile in the alkali-permeable layers of the element.

Claim 6

In a photographic element processable by means of an alkaline processing composition, the element comprising a support, a silver halide emulsion having associated therewith an immobile compound which upon reduction under alkaline conditions will release a diffusible dye or photographic reagent, and an electron donor precursor, the improvement wherein the electron donor precursor comprises a compound represented by the structural formula: ##STR39## wherein n is 1 or 2; Z is phenylene or naphthylene which is unsubstituted or substituted with one or more halogen, amino, nitro, cyano, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido group; R 1 is phenyl, phenylene, biphenylyl, biphenylylene, naphthyl, naphthylene, anthryl or anthrylene which is unsubstituted or substituted with one or more halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido groups, provided that sulfonamido, carbonamido or phosphoramido substituents are not in the 4-position of the aromatic group; and R 2 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido.

Claim 7

In a photographic element processable by means of an alkaline processing composition, the element comprising a support, a silver halide emulsion having associated therewith an immobile compound which upon reduction under alkaline conditions will release a diffusible dye or photographic reagent, and an electron donor precursor, the improvement wherein the electron donor precursor comprises a compound represented by the structural formula: ##STR39## wherein n is 1 or 2; Z is phenylene or naphthylene which is unsubstituted or substituted with one or more halogen, amino, nitro, cyano, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido group; R 1 is phenyl, phenylene, biphenylyl, biphenylylene, naphthyl, naphthylene, anthryl or anthrylene which is unsubstituted or substituted with one or more halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido groups, provided that sulfonamido, carbonamido or phosphoramido substituents are not in the 4-position of the aromatic group; and R 2 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido.

Claim 8

A photographic element of claim 5 wherein R, Y and Z are so chosen that the electron donor precursor is dispersible in aqueous coating compositions and is at least semi-immobile in alkali-permeable layers of the element.

Claim 9

An element of claim 5 wherein the immobile compound is a BEND compound represented by the structural formula: ##STR40## wherein: w, x, y, z, n and m are positive integers of 1 or 2; ENuP is an electron-accepting nucelophilic precursor group; R 7 is a cyclic organic group to which ENuP and E are attached; R 8 and R 9 are bivalent organic groups containing from 1 to 3 atoms in the bivalent linkage; E and Q provide an electrophilic cleavage group where E is an electrophilic group and Q is a bivalent amino group, oxygen atom, selenium atom or sulfur atom providing a monoatom linkage between E and X 2 and which is displaceable from E by the nucleophilic group provided by ENuP; X 1 is a substituent on at least one of R 7 , R 8 and R 9 ; and one of X 1 or Q--X 2 is a ballasting group of sufficient size to render said compound immobile in an alkali-permeable layer of a photographic element, and one of X 1 and Q--X 2 is a diffusible image dye-providing material or a diffusible photographic reagent.

Claim 10

An element of claim 7 wherein Q--X 2 provides, upon release, a diffusible image dye.

Claim 11

An element of claim 7 wherein Q--X 2 provides, upon release, a diffusible photographic reagent.

Claim 12

An element of claim 7 wherein the BEND compound is represented by the structural formula: ##STR41## wherein: ENuP is an electron-accepting nucleophilic precursor for a hydroxy nucleophilic group; G 1 is an amino group, a cyclic group formed with R 10 or R 12 or any of the groups specified for ENuP; E is an electrophilic group; Q is a bivalent amino group, an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom or a selenium atom providing a mono atom linkage between E and R 15 ; R 13 is a bivalent group containing from 1-3 carbon atoms in the bivalent linkage; n is an integer of 1 or 2; R 15 is an aromatic group containing from 5-20 atoms or an alkylene group containing from 1-12 carbon atoms; R 14 is an alkyl group containing from 1-40 carbon atoms, an aryl group containing from 6-40 carbon atoms, or the substituent X 1 ; R 12 , R 10 , and R 11 are each hydrogen, halogen, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryl group containing from 6-40 carbon atoms, a carbonyl group, a sulfamyl group, a sulfonamido group, the substituent X 1 , or R 12 and R 11 or R 10 and R 11 , when they are on adjacent positions of the ring, may be taken together to form a 5- to 7-membered ring with the remainder of the molecule with the provision that, when R 15 is an alkylene group, R 12 and R 10 are poly atom groups, and when G 1 is an electron-accepting nucleophilic precursor group as defined for ENuP, the R 10 or R 12 substituent adjacent G 1 can be the group: ##STR42## X 1 is provided in at least one of the substituted positions and each of X 1 and (Q--R 15 --X 3 ) is a ballasting group of sufficient size to render said compound immobile in an alkali-permeable layer of a photographic element, or an image dye providing material or a photographic reagent, provided one of X 1 and (Q--R 15 --X 3 ) is a ballast group and the other is an image dye providing material or a photo-graphic reagent.

Claim 13

An element of claim 7 wherein the BEND compound is represented by the structural formula: ##STR43## where: ENuP is an electron-accepting precursor for a hydroxylamino group; A is a group containing the atoms necessary to form a 5- or 6-membered aromatic ring; W is an electron-withdrawing group having a positive Hammett sigma value; R 16 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group containing from 1-30 carbon atoms, or an aryl group containing from 6-30 carbon atoms; R 17 is a bivalent organic group containing from 1-3 atoms in the bivalent linkage; m and q are positive integers of 1 or 2; p and r are positive integers, with [(R 16 ) q-1 W] being a substituent on any portion of the aromatic-ring structure of A; E and Q provide an electrophilic cleavage group where E is an electrophilic center and Q is a group providing a monoatom linkage between E and X 2 ;

Claim 14

n is an integer of 1-3; X 2 , together with Q, is either an image dye-providing material, an image-dye precursor or a photographic reagent; and X 1 is a ballasting group of sufficient size to render said BEND compound immobile and nondiffusible in the alkali-permeable layers of a photographic element.

Claim 15

n is an integer of 1-3; X 2 , together with Q, is either an image dye-providing material, an image-dye precursor or a photographic reagent; and X 1 is a ballasting group of sufficient size to render said BEND compound immobile and nondiffusible in the alkali-permeable layers of a photographic element.

Claim 16

In an image transfer film unit processable with an alkaline processing composition containing an electron transfer agent, the film unit comprising: (a) a photographic element comprising a support and a silver halide emulsion having associated therewith an immobile compound which upon reduction under alkaline conditions will release a diffusible dye or photographic reagent; (b) an image-receiving layer; and (c) an electron donor precursor; the improvement wherein the electron donor precursor comprises a compound represented by the structural formula: ##STR44## wherein: Z represents the atoms to complete a bi- or tricyclic ring system, each ring of which contains 5 to 6 nuclear atoms; n is 1 or 2; R 1 is a monovalent aromatic group when n is 1 and a bivalent aromatic group when n is 2; and R 2 represents hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an ester group or an amido group.

Claim 17

In an image transfer film unit processable with an alkaline processing composition containing an electron transfer agent, the film unit comprising: (a) a photographic element comprising a support and a silver halide emulsion having associated therewith an immobile compound which upon reduction under alkaline conditions will release a diffusible dye or photographic reagent; (b) an image-receiving layer; and (c) an electron donor precursor; the improvement wherein the electron donor precursor comprises a compound represented by the structural formula: ##STR44## wherein: Z represents the atoms to complete a bi- or tricyclic ring system, each ring of which contains 5 to 6 nuclear atoms; n is 1 or 2; R 1 is a monovalent aromatic group when n is 1 and a bivalent aromatic group when n is 2; and R 2 represents hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an ester group or an amido group.

Claim 18

In an image transfer film unit comprising: (a) a photographic element comprising a support and a silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith an immobile compound which upon reduction under alkaline conditions will release a diffusible dye or photographic reagent; (b) an image-receiving layer; (c) an alkaline processing composition contained within means from which it can be discharged within the film unit; (d) an electron transfer agent and (e) an electron donor precursor; the improvement wherein the electron donor precursor comprises a compound represented by the structural formula: ##STR45## wherein: Z represents the atoms to complete a bi- or tricyclic ring system, each ring of which contains 5 to 6 nuclear atoms; n is 1 or 2; R 1 is a monovalent aromatic group when n is 1 and a bivalent aromatic group when n is 2; and R 2 represents hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an ester group or an amido group.

Claim 19

In an image transfer film unit comprising: (a) a photographic element comprising a support and a silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith an immobile compound which upon reduction under alkaline conditions will release a diffusible dye or photographic reagent; (b) an image-receiving layer; (c) an alkaline processing composition contained within means from which it can be discharged within the film unit; (d) an electron transfer agent and (e) an electron donor precursor; the improvement wherein the electron donor precursor comprises a compound represented by the structural formula: ##STR45## wherein: Z represents the atoms to complete a bi- or tricyclic ring system, each ring of which contains 5 to 6 nuclear atoms; n is 1 or 2; R 1 is a monovalent aromatic group when n is 1 and a bivalent aromatic group when n is 2; and R 2 represents hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an ester group or an amido group.

Claim 20

A film unit of claim 13 wherein the electron donor precursor is in the same layer as the immobile compound.

Claim 21

A film unit of claim 14 wherein the electron donor precursor is substantially immobile in the alkali permeable layers of the film unit.

Claim 22

A film unit of claim 15 wherein Z is vinylene phenylene or naphthylene which is unsubstituted or substituted with one or more halogen, amino, nitro, cyano, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido groups; R 1 is phenyl, phenylene, biphenylyl, biphenylylene, naphthyl, naphthylene, anthryl or anthrylene which is unsubstituted or substituted with halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido groups provided that sulfonamido, carbonamido or phosphoramido substituents are not in the 4-position of the aromatic group; and R 2 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido.

Claim 23

A film unit of claim 15 wherein the electron donor precursor comprises a compound represented by the structural formula: ##STR46## wherein: n is 1 or 2; R 6 is hydrogen, halogen, amino, nitro, cyano, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido; R 5 is hydrogen, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido, provided that sulfonamido, carbonamido or phosphoramido substituents are not in the 4-position of the aromatic group; and R 2 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido.

Claim 24

A film unit of claim 17 wherein n is 1; R 2 is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R 5 is hydrogen, halogen, nitro, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, phenyl, acyl, ester or amido, provided that if R 5 is sulfonamido, carbonamido or phosphoramido it is in the ortho or meta position; and R 6 is hydrogen, acyl, ester or amido.

Claim 25

A film unit of claim 15 wherein the immobile compound is a BEND compound represented by the structural formula: ##STR47## wherein: w, x, y, z, n and m are positive integers of 1 or 2; ENuP is an electron-accepting nucleophilic precursor group; R 7 is a cyclic organic group to which ENuP and E are attached; R 8 and R 9 are bivalent organic groups containing from 1 to 3 atoms in the bivalent linkage; E and Q provide an electrophilic cleavage group where E is an electrophilic group and Q is a bivalent amino group, oxygen atom, selenium atom or sulfur atom providing a monoatom linkage between E and X 2 and which is displaceable from E by the nucleophilic group provided by ENuP; X 1 is a substituent on at least one of R 7 , R 8 and R 9 ; and one of X 1 or Q-X 2 is a ballasting group of sufficient size to render said compound immobile in an alkali-permeable layer of a photographic element, and one of X 1 and Q-X 2 is a diffusible image dye-providing material or a diffusible photographic reagent.

Claim 26

In an image transfer film unit comprising: (a) a photographic element comprising a support and at least one silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith a BEND compound having the structural formula: ##STR48## wherein: w, x, y, z, n and m are positive integers of 1 or 2; ENuP is an electron-accepting nucleophilic precursor group; R 7 is a cyclic organic group to which ENuP and E are attached; R 8 and R 9 are bivalent organic groups containing from 1 to 3 atoms in the bivalent linkage; E and Q provide an electrophilic cleavage group where E is an electrophilic group and Q is a bivalent amino group, oxygen atom, selenium atom or sulfur atom providing a monoatom linkage between E and X 2 and which is displaceable from E by the nucleophilic group provided by ENuP; X 1 is a substituent on at least one of R 7 , R 8 and R 9 ; and one of X 1 or Q-X 2 is a ballasting group of sufficient size to render said compound immobile in an alkali-permeable layer of a photographic element, and one of X 1 and Q-X 2 is a diffusible image dye-providing material. (b) an image-receiving material; (c) an alkaline processing composition contained within means from which it can be discharged within the film unit; (d) an electron transfer agent and (e) an electron donor precursor; the improvement wherein there is associated with the BEND compound an electron donor precursor represented by the structural formula: ##STR49## wherein: Z represents the atoms of complete a bi- or tricyclic ring system, each ring of which contains 5 to 6 nuclear atoms; n is 1 or 2; R 1 is a monovalent aromatic group when n is 1 and a bivalent aromatic group when n is 2; and R 2 represents hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an ester group or an amido group.

Claim 27

In an image transfer film unit comprising: (a) a photographic element comprising a support and at least one silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith a BEND compound having the structural formula: ##STR48## wherein: w, x, y, z, n and m are positive integers of 1 or 2; ENuP is an electron-accepting nucleophilic precursor group; R 7 is a cyclic organic group to which ENuP and E are attached; R 8 and R 9 are bivalent organic groups containing from 1 to 3 atoms in the bivalent linkage; E and Q provide an electrophilic cleavage group where E is an electrophilic group and Q is a bivalent amino group, oxygen atom, selenium atom or sulfur atom providing a monoatom linkage between E and X 2 and which is displaceable from E by the nucleophilic group provided by ENuP; X 1 is a substituent on at least one of R 7 , R 8 and R 9 ; and one of X 1 or Q-X 2 is a ballasting group of sufficient size to render said compound immobile in an alkali-permeable layer of a photographic element, and one of X 1 and Q-X 2 is a diffusible image dye-providing material. (b) an image-receiving material; (c) an alkaline processing composition contained within means from which it can be discharged within the film unit; (d) an electron transfer agent and (e) an electron donor precursor; the improvement wherein there is associated with the BEND compound an electron donor precursor represented by the structural formula: ##STR49## wherein: Z represents the atoms of complete a bi- or tricyclic ring system, each ring of which contains 5 to 6 nuclear atoms; n is 1 or 2; R 1 is a monovalent aromatic group when n is 1 and a bivalent aromatic group when n is 2; and R 2 represents hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an ester group or an amido group.

Claim 28

A film unit of claim 20 wherein the photographic element comprises a blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith a BEND compound wherein Q--X 2 is a diffusible yellow dye moiety, a green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith a BEND compound wherein Q--X 2 is a diffusible magenta dye moiety, and a red sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith a BEND compound wherein Q--X 2 is a diffusible cyan dye moiety.

Claim 29

A film unit of claim 21 wherein each of said diffusible dye moieties is a diffusible azo dye moiety.

Claim 30

A film unit of claim 22 wherein each of said BEND compounds has the structure: ##STR50## wherein: ENuP is an electron-accepting nucleophilic precursor for a hydroxy nucleophilic group; G 1 is an imino group, a cyclic group formed with R 10 or R 12 or any of the groups specified for ENuP; E is an electrophilic group; Q is a bivalent amino group, an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom or a selenium atom providing a mono atom linkage between E and R 15 ; R 13 is a bivalent group containing from 1--3 carbon atoms in the bivalent linkage; n is an integer of 1 or 2; R 15 is an aromatic group containing from 5-20 atoms or an alkylene group containing from 1-12 carbon atoms; R 14 is an alkyl group containing from 1-40 carbon atoms, an aryl group containing from 6-40 carbon atoms, or the substituent X 1 ; R 12 , R 10 , and R 11 are each hydrogen, halogen, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryl group containing from 6 to 40 carbon atoms, a carbonyl group, a sulfamyl group, a sulfonamido group, the substituent X 1 , or R 12 and R 11 or R 10 and R 11 , when they are on adjacent positions of the ring, may be taken together to form a 5- to 7-membered ring with the remainder of the molecule with the provision that, when R 15 is an alkylene group, R 12 and R 10 are poly atom groups, and when G 1 is an electron-accepting nucleophilic precursor group as defined for ENuP, the R 10 or R 12 substituent adjacent G 1 can be the group: ##STR51## X 1 is provided in at least one of the substituted positions and is a ballasting group of sufficient size to render said compound immobile in an alkali-permeable layer of a photographic element, and (Q-R 15 -X 3 ) is said diffusible azo dye moiety.

Claim 31

A film unit of claim 23 wherein ENuP and G' are each oxo groups.

Claim 32

A film unit of claim 24 wherein E is a carbonyl group and Q is an oxygen atom.

Claim 33

A film unit of claim 22 wherein each of said BEND compounds has the structure: ##STR52## where: ENuP is an electron-accepting precursor for a hydroxylamino group; A is a group containing the atoms necessary to form a 5- or 6-membered aromatic ring; W is an electron-withdrawing group having a positive Hammett sigma value; R 16 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group containing from 1-30 carbon atoms, or an aryl group containing from 6-30 carbon atoms; R 17 is a bivalent organic group containing from 1-3 atoms in the bivalent linkage; m and q are positive integers of 1 or 2; p and r are positive integers, with [(R 16 ) q-1 W] being a substituent on any portion of the aromatic-ring structure of A; E and Q provide an electrophilic cleavage group where E is an electrophilic center and Q is a group providing a monoatom linkage between E and X 2 ; n is an integer of 1-3; X 2 , together with Q, is said diffusible azo dye moiety and X 1 is a ballasting group of sufficient size to render said BEND compound immobile and nondiffusible in the alkali-permeable layers of a photographic element.

Claim 34

A film unit of claim 26 wherein Q is an amino group, E is a carbonyl group and ENuP is a nitro group.

Claim 35

A film unit of claims 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, or 27 wherein said electron transfer agent is a 3-pyrazolidone compound.

Claim 36

A film unit of claim 28 wherein the electron donor precursor has the structural formula: ##STR53## wherein: n is 1; R 2 is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R 5 is hydrogen, halogen, nitro, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, phenyl, acyl, ester or amido, provided that if R 5 is sulfonamido, carbonamido or phosphoramido it is in the ortho or meta position; and R 6 is hydrogen, acyl, ester or amido.

Claim 37

A film unit of claim 29 wherein said electron donor precursor has a polarographic halfwave potential in 0.1 N sodium hydroxide more negative than -300 mV with respect to a saturated calomel electrode.

Claim 38

A film unit of claim 29 wherein the electron donor precursor has a polarographic halfwave potential in 0.1 N sodium hydroxide of between -360 and -600 mV.

Claim 39

In a process of forming an image with a photographic element containing exposed silver halide having associated therewith an immobile compound which upon reduction under alkaline conditions releases a diffusible dye or photographic reagent, said process comprising contacting said element with an alkaline processing composition in the presence of an electron transfer agent and an electron donor precursor to develop said exposed silver halide and to reduce said immobile compound as an inverse function of silver halide development and thereby release diffusible dye or photographic reagent, the improvement wherein said electron donor precursor has the structural formula: ##STR54## wherein: Z represents the atoms to complete a bi- or tricyclic ring system, each ring of which contains 5 to 6 nuclear atoms; n is 1 or 2; R 1 is a monovalent aromatic group when n is 1 and a bivalent aromatic group when n is 2; and R 2 represents hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an ester group or an amido group.

Claim 40

In a process of forming an image with a photographic element containing exposed silver halide having associated therewith an immobile compound which upon reduction under alkaline conditions releases a diffusible dye or photographic reagent, said process comprising contacting said element with an alkaline processing composition in the presence of an electron transfer agent and an electron donor precursor to develop said exposed silver halide and to reduce said immobile compound as an inverse function of silver halide development and thereby release diffusible dye or photographic reagent, the improvement wherein said electron donor precursor has the structural formula: ##STR54## wherein: Z represents the atoms to complete a bi- or tricyclic ring system, each ring of which contains 5 to 6 nuclear atoms; n is 1 or 2; R 1 is a monovalent aromatic group when n is 1 and a bivalent aromatic group when n is 2; and R 2 represents hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an acyl group, an ester group or an amido group.

Claim 41

A process of claim 32 wherein Z is vinylene, phenylene or naphthylene which is unsubstituted or substituted with one or more halogen, amino, nitro, cyano, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido groups; R 1 is phenyl, phenylene, biphenylyl, biphenylylene, naphthyl, naphthylene, anthryl or anthrylene which is unsubstituted or substituted with halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido, provided that sulfonamido, carbonamido or phosphoramido substituents are not in the 4-position of the aromatic group; and R 2 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido.

Claim 42

A process of claim 32 wherein the electron donor precursor comprises a compound represented by the structural formula: ##STR55## wherein: n is 1 or 2; R 6 is hydrogen, halogen, amino, nitro, cyano, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido; R 5 is hydrogen, halogen, nitro, amino, cyano, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, alkoxy of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, aryloxy of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido, provided that sulfonamido, carbonamido or phosphoramido substituents are not in the 4-position of the aromatic group; and R 2 is hydrogen, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, aryl of 6 to 30 carbon atoms, acyl, ester or amido.

Claim 43

A process of claim 34 wherein n is 1; R 2 is hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R 5 is hydrogen, halogen, nitro, alkyl of 1 to 30 carbon atoms, phenyl, acyl, ester or amido, provided that if R 5 is sulfonamido, carbonamido or phosphoramido it is in the ortho or meta position; and R 6 is hydrogen, acyl ester or amido.

Claim 44

A process of claim 32 wherein said immobile compound releases diffusible dye as an inverse function of silver halide development and a viewable dye image is formed from at least one of said diffusible dye and said immobile compound.

Claim 45

A process of claim 36 wherein said diffusible dye is diffused to an image receiving layer where it forms a viewable image.