Radiation imagery chemistry: process – composition – or product th – Radiation sensitive product – Identified radiation sensitive composition with color...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-19
2001-03-13
Letscher, Geraldine (Department: 1752)
Radiation imagery chemistry: process, composition, or product th
Radiation sensitive product
Identified radiation sensitive composition with color...
C430S551000, C430S372000, C430S546000, C430S557000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06200741
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the fields of conventional silver halide and thermally processed colour photography. More specifically the invention relates to the use of certain addenda in such systems to improve the photographic performance of image dye-forming couplers for use with emulsions thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional silver halide colour photographic elements contain a number of silver halide emulsion layers. These layers are spectrally sensitized to particular colours of light and have associated therewith image dye-forming coupler compounds, hereinafter referred to as ‘couplers’, capable of forming image dyes upon contact with oxidised developer. In order to obtain an image in a desirable processing time, it is necessary that the coupler have sufficient activity to form the image in the allowed processing time. This requires a certain minimum range of reactivity. When the image is ultimately comprised of more than one dye, it is further necessary that the reactivity of the couplers of different colours be balanced so as to enable a proper neutral colour when needed.
When dye images are formed in silver halide photographic materials from the combination of oxidised developer and incorporated image dye-forming couplers, certain stringent demands are made of the couplers. For instance, the couplers must yield dyes which absorb in the correct region of the visible spectrum and which are resistant to fading by light, heat and humidity. The couplers must be active, have a low propensity to form fog, be easily dispersible and must themselves be resistant to the deleterious actions of light, heat and humidity. It is also important that the photographic performance of the couplers is resistant to changes in processing conditions, such as changes in the pH of the developing solution.
In the design of a coupler, it is the aim of the photographic chemist to incorporate various groups into the coupler structure to achieve, or partially achieve, the various desirable properties outlined above. However, it is well known in the art of coupler chemistry that when a functionality is incorporated into a molecule to achieve one of the aforementioned desirable properties (such as high activity), quite often one of the other desirable properties (such as high dye light stability or dye hue) is adversely affected. The structure of a coupler is therefore always a compromise. Furthermore, couplers which contain many functionalities suffer from the disadvantage that they are difficult and therefore expensive to prepare.
For example, hydrophilic substituents on couplers have been used effectively to improve the activity of the coupler through lowering the apparent dispersion pKa (known as pH1/2) of the coupler and through increasing the hydrophilicity of the coupler/coupler solvent particles.
However, such substituents have adverse effects on other aspects of the coupler such as ease of synthesis, cost and degradation in light stability and shift in dye hue of the resulting dye. In addition, incorporation of solubilizing/activating groups into the coupler can lead to an increased tendency for the image dye and/or the coupler to ‘wash out’ from the element during the process.
The use of addenda to improve specific properties of the image coupler or the resultant photographic dye formed on development is well established. These addenda may be added in the form of a co-dispersion with the image coupler or added separately to the photographic layer either as a separate dispersion or in solution. For example it is common practice to enhance stability of photographic dyes to light by the use of addenda such as poly-alkoxy benzenes or substituted phenols or bis-phenols. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,015 the incorporation of organosilanes in a photographic layer containing a dye-forming coupler is shown to improve the density and contrast of dye images produced after exposure and processing. U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,877 discloses the use of ballasted carboxylic acids with magenta dye-forming couplers to improve coupler/silver interactions which may lead to speed losses and to their use to improve the efficiency of dye formation. U.S. Pat. No.5,382,500 discloses sulfonamides in green sensitive layers giving materials with improved keeping and process pH sensitivity. JP 07209839 describes sulfonamides as developing accelerators in heat developable systems in combination with dye releasing reductants. U.S. Pat. No. 4,973,535 and EP 0 510 576 disclose respectively the use of sulfonamide solvents to alter the hue of couplers and sulfoxides to lessen continued coupling in magenta couplers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,636 claims a combination of magenta coupler, sulfonamide and bis-phenol for improving light fastness and U.S. Pat. No. 4,898,811 describes sulfonylphenols as oil formers.
Problem to be Solved by the Invention
The problem is to provide a means for improving photographic performance of silver halide elements, and in particular improving dye yield and robustness to process pH variation, resulting in higher and more consistent density.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a photographic element comprising a support bearing a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer in association with an image dye-forming coupler and having associated therewith a compound of general formula
wherein
R1 is an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group, aryl group or 5-10 membered heterocyclic ring group containing one or more heteroatoms selected from N, O and S;
each R2 is independently selected from hydrogen, halogen, and substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, aryl, alkyl-or aryl-sulfamoyl,alkyl- or aryl-sulfonamido, alkyl- or aryl-carbamoyl, alkyl-or aryl-carbonamido, alkenyloxy or 5-10 membered heterocyclic ring group containing one or more heteroatoms selected from N, O and S;
each Y is independently selected from the groups consisting of —NHSO2 and —SO2NH; wherein the hydrogen therein has a pKa value of less than 9;
n is an integer from 1 to 20;
x is an integer from 1 to 6 and
wherein the compound of formula (I) is ballasted.
In another embodiment there is provided a multicolour photographic element comprising a support bearing a cyan image-dye-forming unit comprising a red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and a cyan dye-forming coupler; a magenta image-dye-forming unit comprising at least one green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and a magenta dye-forming coupler; a yellow image-dye-forming unit comprising at least one blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and a yellow dye-forming coupler characterised in that it also contains associated therewith a compound of general formula (I) as hereinbefore defined.
In a further embodiment there is provided a process of forming a photographic image which comprises imagewise exposing a photographic element comprising a support bearing a silver halide emulsion layer and processing it with an alkaline developer solution characterised in that it is developed in the presence of a compound of formula (I) as hereinbefore defined.
Advantageous Effect of the Invention
The invention provides a means for improving photographic performance of silver halide elements, and in particular improving dye yield and robustness to process pH variation, resulting in higher and more consistent density.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4727015 (1988-02-01), Moore
patent: 4840877 (1989-06-01), Abe et al.
patent: 4898811 (1990-02-01), Wolff et al.
patent: 4973535 (1990-11-01), Merkel et al.
patent: 5120636 (1992-06-01), Takahashi et al.
patent: 5382500 (1995-01-01), Sugita et al.
patent: 0 510 576 (1992-04-01), None
Japan 07209839—Abstract.
Goddard John D.
Stanley Paul L.
Eastman Kodak Company
Kluegel Arthur E.
Letscher Geraldine
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