Photographic coupler solvents and photographic elements employing same

Claim 2

A photographic element comprising a support having thereon at least one silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith a dye-forming coupler dispersed in a nonpolymeric coupler solvent therefor which has at least one terminal epoxy group and at least one ester or amide group.

Claim 3

The element of claim 1 wherein said coupler solvent has the formula: ##STR71## wherein A is a polyvalent atom, an acidic oxide group, a carbocyclic group, a heterocyclic moiety, or an alkane or substituted alkane group; each L is at least one divalent linking group; each R is H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heterocyclyl, COOR 1 , wherein R 1 is alkyl of 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, or can be taken together with A or L to form a ring; and n is a positive integer of at least one, with the proviso that at least one A, L or R contains at least one ester or amide group derived from an acidic oxide of carbon, phosphorous, sulfur, boron or silicon.

Claim 4

The element of claim 2 wherein said dye-forming coupler forms a magenta dye upon reaction with oxidized color developing agent.

Claim 5

The element of claim 3 wherein said magenta dye-forming coupler is a pyrazolone, pyrazolotriazole, pyrazolobenzimidazole or indazolone, and said coupler and said coupler solvent are located in said silver halide emulsion layer.

Claim 6

The element of claim 2 wherein said coupler solvent has the formula: ##STR72## wherein A 1 is an alkane or substituted alkane group or a carbocyclic group, L 1 is a carboxylic ester and n is a positive integer of at least one.

Claim 7

The element of claim 2 wherein said polyvalent atom is oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, boron, carbon, phosphorus or silicon; said acidic oxide group is ##STR73## said carbocyclic group is benzene, naphthalene, cyclohexane, cyclopentane, cycloheptane or cyclooctane; said heterocyclic moiety is pyridine, pyridine oxide, furan, thiophene, pyrazole, triazine, quinoline, pyran, ##STR74## said alkane or substituted alkane group is (CH 2 ) m where m is 1 to about 6, ##STR75##

Claim 8

The element of claim 2 wherein said L is (CH 2 ) p where p is 1 to about 9, ##STR76##

Claim 9

The element of claim 2 wherein said ester or amide group is ##STR77## where Y is O or NR 2 and R 2 is hydrogen, alkyl, aryl or heterocyclyl.

Claim 10

The element of claim 5 wherein A 1 is a benzene ring, n is 2 and each L 1 is ##STR78##

Claim 11

The element of claim 5 wherein A 1 is a cyclohexane ring, n is 2 and each L 1 is ##STR79##

Claim 12

The element of claim 5 wherein A 1 is ##STR80##

Claim 13

The element of claim 5 wherein A 1 is --CH 2 CH 2 --, n is 2 and each L 1 is ##STR81##