Process and polymers for the production of images

Claim 1

An acrylic polymer having an average molecular weight of at least 500 which is insoluble in base but which becomes soluble in base on exposure to actinic radiation and which contains at least one residue of formula I (--L.sup.1 --).sub.m Ar.sup.1 (X)--OSO.sub.2 --Ar.sup.2 (--L.sup.2 --).sub.n(I) wherein one of m and n denotes 1 and the other denotes 0 or 1, X denotes either a group of formula II ##STR13## linked through the carbonyl group to an aromatic carbon atom in Ar 1 , or a group of formula III ##STR14## linked through the carbonyl groups to aromatic carbon atoms in Ar 1 , p denotes 0 or 1, when p denotes 0, R 1 is a hydrogen atom; C 1 -C 8 alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by --OH, --Cl, --CN, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, C 2 -C 5 alkoxycarbonyl, phenyl, chlorophenyl, C 7 -C 10 alkylphenyl or C 7 -C 10 alkoxyphenyl; phenyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by --Cl, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy or C 1 -C 4 alkylthio; benzoyl; C 2 -C 8 alkoxycarbonyl; C 1 -C 4 alkyl--NHCO--; phenyl--NHCO; --CONH 2 ; or --CN; when p denotes 1, R 1 is a hydrogen atom, a hydroxyl group, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, acetyloxy or a C 1 -C 8 alkyl group which is unsubstituted or substituted by phenol; R 2 denotes a hydrogen atom; C 1 -C 8 alkyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by --OH, Cl or phenyl; phenyl which is unsubstituted or substituted by --OH, --Cl, C 1 -C 4 alkyl or C 1 -C 4 alkoxy; C 2 -C 6 alkenyl; C 8 -C 9 phenylalkenyl; furyl; C 5 -C 6 cycloalkyl; or C 5 -C 6 cycloalkenyl; when X denotes a group of formula II, Ar 1 and Ar 2 each represent a phenyl, naphthyl, phenylene or naphthylene group which is unsubstituted or substituted by --Cl, --Br, --CN, --NO 2 , C 1 -C 12 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy or C 1 -C 8 alkylthio, at least one of Ar 1 and Ar 2 being an unsubstituted or substituted phenylene or naphthylene group; when X denotes a group of formula III, Ar 1 denotes an o-phenylene, 1,2-, 2,3- or 1,8-naphthylene benzene 1,2,3-, 1,2,5-, 1,2,4- or 1,2,6-triyl group, unsubstituted or substituted by --Cl, --Br, --NO 2 , C 1 -C 8 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, C 1 -C 12 alkylthio or phenylthio; and Ar 2 denotes phenyl, m- or p-phenylene, naphthyl, or 1,2-, 2,3- or 1,8-naphthylene group, which is unsubstituted or substituted by --Cl, --Br, --NO 2 , C 1 -C 15 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy, C 1 -C 4 alkyl--CONH, or phenylCONH--; Ar 3 denotes a phenyl group which is unsubstituted or substituted by --Cl, C 1 -C 4 alkyl, C 1 -C 4 alkoxy or C 1 -C 4 alkylthio; and L 1 L 2 each denote --CO--, --COO--, --CONH--, --OCOO--. --NHCONH--, --OCONH--, --CSS--, --OCSS--, --OSO 2 --, --CH 2 --, --CH═, --O--, --S-- or --N═.