Silver Halide Color Photographic Material Containing a 1h-Pyrazolo [3,2-C]- S

The present invention relates to a silver halide color photographic material that contains a magenta coupler capable of effective color formation and which forms a magenta dye image having improved keeping quality, particularly in terms of light fastness. More specifically, the invention relates to a silver halide color photographic material containing a novel 1H-pyrazolo[3,2-c]-S-triazole derived magenta coupler.

The formation of dye images in most silver halide color photographic materials depends on the reduction of exposed silver halide grains with an aromatic primary amine color developing agent and the subsequent coupling of the resultant oxidation product of the color developing agent with couplers that respectively form yellow, magenta and cyan dyes.

Pyrazolone type couplers are commercially used as couplers for providing magenta dyes, but they have an unwanted secondary absorption and their keeping quality, particularly their resistance to formalin gas, is relatively low.

A variety of 1H-pyrazolo[3,2-c]-S-triazole derived magenta couplers have been proposed to overcome these problems of the conventional pyrazolone type couplers. Reference should be had to U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,067, as well as British Pat. Nos. 1,252,418 and 1,334,515. The compounds disclosed in these patents avoid the problem of secondary absorption but the improvement is inadequate in terms of resistance to formalin gas and is insignificant in respect of the production of a light-fast magenta dye image. The compound disclosed in Research Disclosure No. 12443 has no commercial value because of its low color formation. The 1H-pyrazolo[3,2-c]-S-triazole type magenta coupler disclosed in Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 42045/1983 features significant improvements in formalin resistance and color formation but little improvement has been achieved in terms of the production of a light-fast image.

Improved color development has also been achieved by the couplers described in Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application Nos. 99437/1984 and 125732/1984 but the dye images produced by these couplers are still low in light fastness. The coupler disclosed in Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 99437/1984 depends on the concomitant use of additives for providing a light-fast image. The coupler disclosed as Compound No. 19 in Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 125732/1984 produces a dye image having slightly improved light fastness but the improvement is far from being satisfactory.

In short, the 1H-pyrazolo[3,2-c]-S-triazole derived magenta couplers that have been considered useful because of the absence of secondary absorption and their high resistance to formalin gas fall far short of satisfying the requirement for providing dye images with improved light fastness.

The primary object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a silver halide color photographic material that contains a magenta coupler capable of effective color formation and which forms a magenta dye image having improved light fastness and resistance to formalin gas.

This object of the invention is achieved by a silver halide color photographic material that has at least one silver halide emulsion layer on a support, said silver halide emulsion layer containing at least one magenta coupler having the following formula: ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1 is a tertiary alkyl group; R.sub.2 is a primary alkyl group; and X is a halogen atom.

As a result of various studies made to achieve the stated object, the inventors have found a 1H-pyrazolo-[3,2-c]-S-triazole derived magenta coupler that exhibits effective color formation and which provides a magenta dye image having improved formalin resistance and light fastness.

The tertiary alkyl group represented by R.sub.1 may be substituted at the tertiary carbon, i.e. the carbon atom directly coupled to the 1H-pyrazolo[3,2-c]-S-triazole nucleus. A cyclic ring including the tertiary carbon is also included within the meaning of the "tertiary alkyl group". In short, R.sub.1 represents all alkyl groups wherein the tertiary carbon is bonded to anything but hydrogen. The alkyl bonded to the tertiary carbon may have a substituent such as halogen or alkoxy.

Typical examples of the tertiary alkyl as R.sub.1 include t-butyl, 1,1-dimethyl-2-methoxy-ethyl, 1,1-dimethyl-2-chloro-ethyl, 1-methyl-1-methoxy-ethyl, 1-methyl-1-phenyl-ethyl, 1,1-di-n-amyl-hexyl, 7,7-dimethylnorbornan-1-yl, 1,1-dimethyl-butyl, 1-ethyl-1-methyl-propyl and adamantyl.

The primary alkyl group represented by R.sub.2 is an alkyl group having two hydrogen atoms bonded to root carbon atom which is directly bonded to the 1H-pyrazolo[3,2-c]-S-triazole ring.

The primary alkyl group represented by R.sub.2 may be substituted by aryl, hetero ring, halogen, cyano, a group that is bonded by carbonyl (e.g. alkoxycarbonyl, acyl or carbamoyl), or a group that is bonded by a hetero atom (e.g. nitro, alkoxy, alkylthio, arylthio, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl, arylsulfinyl or dialkylamino). Particularly preferred substituents are alkylthio, arylthio, alkylsulfonyl, arylsulfonyl, alkylsulfinyl and arylsulfinyl.

If the heterocyclic group is a compound such as 1H-pyrazolo[3,2-c]-S-triazole-3-yl, a bis type 1H-pyrazolo-[3,2-c]-S-triazole compound is formed and this is of course a magenta coupler included within the scope of the present invention.

The halogen atom represented by X includes chlorine, bromine and fluorine.

The 1H-pyrazolo[3,2-c]-S-triazole derived magenta couplers in accordance with the present invention are illustrated by, but by no means limited, to the following compounds. ##STR3##

The method for synthesizing a typical compound is described below. The general reference was to Research Disclosure No. 12443.

Synthesis of compound (1):

The reaction scheme is shown below: ##STR4##

(1) Synthesis of compound (I):

A mixture of capric acid (500 g) and thiocarbohydrazide (100 g) was refluxed for 8 hours without solvent. After cooling the mixture, the resulting crystal was recovered by filtration, washed with water and recrystallized from a mixed solvent of alcohol/water to obtain a white end product.

(2) Synthesis of compound (II):

A mixture of 64.3 g of compound (I) and 53.7 g of t-butyl-bromomethyl ketone was boiled in alcohol for 5 hours under agitation. The solvent was distilled off and the residue was dissolved in methanol and neutralized by addition of 10% sodium carbonate. After adding water, the organic layer was extructed with ethyl acetate, which was then distilled off and the residue was purified by column chromatography on silica gel using benzene-acetone as a solvent.

(3) Synthesis of compound (III):

Thirty grams of compound (II) was dispersed in 500 ml of n-dodecane and the dispersion was boiled under agitation for 6 hours with a nitrogen gas blown into the dispersion. After leaving the dispersion to cool down, the solid crystal was recovered by filtration, purified by column chromatography on silica gel using benzen/acetone as a solvent and recrystallized from hexane to obtain the end product (III).

(4) Synthesis of compound (I):

Five point three grams of compound (III) was dissolved in chloroform and, to the solution, and equivalent amount of N-chlorosuccinimide was added. The mixture was held at room temperature for 30 minutes to perform reaction. The chloroform was distilled off and the residue was extracted with ethyl-acetate and washed well with water. The ethyl acetate was then distilled off and residual purified by column chromatography on silica gel using benzene-acetone as a solvent to obtain the end product. The end product was identified as compound (1) by NMR spectrum and Mass spectrum.

Other compounds were synthesized by the method used in the production of compound (1). When the acid used in the reaction with thiocarbohydrazide was solid, methyl cellosolve, or ethylene glycol was used as a solvent.

The silver halide color photographic material of the present invention may contain conventional dye forming couplers.

Known open-chain ketomethylene couplers may be used as yellow-forming couplers. Benzoylacetanilide and pivaloylacetanilide compounds are particularly useful. Specific examples of the usable yellow forming couplers are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,875,057, 3,265,506, 3,408,194, 3,551,155, 3,582,322, 3,725,072, and 3,891,445; German Pat. No. 1,547,868, German Patent Application (OLS) Nos. 2,219,917, 2,261,361 and 2,414,006; British Pat. No. 1,425,020; Japanese Patent Publication No. 10783/1976, Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application Nos. 26133/1972, 73147/1983, 102036/1976, 6341/1975, 123342/1975, 130442/1975, 21827/1976, 87650/1975, 82424/1977 and 115219/1977.

Usable cyan forming couplers are phenolic and naphtholic compounds. Specific examples are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,369,929, 2,434,272, 2,474,293, 2,521,908, 2,895,826, 3,034,892, 3,311,476, 3,458,315, 3,476,563, 3,583,971, 3,591,383, 3,767,411 and 4,004,929; German Patent Application (OLS) Nos. 2,414,830 and 2,454,329; and Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application Nos. 59838/1973, 26034/1976, 5055/1973, 146828/1976, 69624/1977 and 90932/1977.

As magenta forming couplers, one or more of the couplers prepared in accordance with the present invention may be used. They may also be used in combination with known magenta couplers such as pyrazolone compounds, indazolone compounds, cyanoacetyl compounds, pyrazolinobenzimidazole compounds and pyrazolotriazole compounds. It should however be emphasized that at least one of the magenta couplers incorporated in the silver halide color photographic material of the present invention must be the coupler defined in accordance with the invention.

The coupler of the present invention may also be used in combination with colored couplers capable of color correction, or development inhibitor releasing couplers (DIR couplers) that are effective for producing improved image quality.

The magenta coupler of the present invention and the respective couplers associated thereto may be introduced into silver halide emulsion layers by any known method such as one described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,322,027. For example, the couplers are dispersed in hydrophilic colloids after being dissolved in high-boiling organic solvents or low-boiling organic solvents. Examples of the former type include alkyl esters of phthalic acid (e.g. dibutyl phthalate and dioctyl phthalate), phosphate esters (e.g. diphenyl phosphate, triphenyl phosphate, tricresyl phosphate and dioctylbutyl phosphate), citrate esters (e.g. tributyl acetylcitrate), benzoate esters (e.g. octyl benzoate), alkylamides (e.g. diethyl laurylamide), aliphatic acid esters (e.g. dibutoxyethyl succinate and dioctyl azelate) and trimesic acid esters (e.g. tributyl trimesate). The low-boiling organic solvents are those which boil at between about 30.degree. C. and 150.degree. C., and examples are lower alkyl acetates (e.g. ethyl acetate and butyl acetate), ethyl propionate, secondary butyl alcohol, methyl isobutyl ketone, .beta.-ethoxyethyl acetate and methyl cellosolve acetate. The high-boiling organic solvents may be used in combination with the low-boiling organic solvents.

Dispersion methods using polymers may also be used and such methods are described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 39853/1976 and Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 59943/1976.

The magenta coupler of the present invention is incorporated in a silver halide emulsion layer usually in the amount of from 0.005 to 2 moles, preferably from 0.03 to 0.5 mole, per mole of silver halide.

The magenta coupler of the present invention forms a satisfactorily light-fast dye image, but even higher light fastness may be obtained by using an anti-fading agent or by overlaying the emulsion layer of interest with a layer containing an ultraviolet absorber.

Illustrative anti-fading agents include hydroquinone derivatives of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,360,290, 2,418,613, 2,673,314, 2,701,197, 2,704,713, 2,728,659, 2,732,300, 2,735,765, 2,710,801 and 2,816,028, as well as British Pat. No. 1,363,921; gallic acid derivatives as describded in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,457,079 and 3,069,262; p-alkoxyphenols of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,735,765 and 3,698,909, as well as Japanese Patent Publication No. 20977/1974 and 6623/1977; p-oxyphenol derivatives of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,432,300, 3,573,050, 3,574,627 and 3,764,337, as well as Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application Nos. 35633/1977, 147434/1977 and 152225/1977; and bisphenols as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,455.

Exemplary ultraviolet absorbers includes aryl-substituted benzotriazole compounds (as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,533,794), 4-thiazolidone compounds (as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,314,794 and 3,352,681), benzophenone compounds (as described in Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 2784/1971), cinnamic acid ester compounds (as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,705,805 and 3,707,375), butadiene compounds (as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,045,229), and benzoxidole compounds (as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,455). Other compounds usable as UV absorbers are found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,762 and Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application No. 48535/1979.

Any of the silver halides that are incorporated in conventional silver halide emulsions may be used in the present invention and they include silver bromide, silver chloride, silver iodobromide, silver chlorobromide and silver chloroiodobromide. In order to provide sensitivity for the desired spectral wavelength region, the silver halides used in the present invention may be spectrally sensitized by suitable selected sensitizing dyes. Usable dyes include cyanine, merocyanine, complex cyanine, complex merocyanine, holopolar cyanine, hemicyanine, styryl and hemioxonole dyes.

Useful sensitizing dyes are described in, for example, German Pat. No. 929,080, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,231,658, 2,493,748, 2,503,776, 2,519,001, 2,912,329, 3,656,959, 3,672,897, 3,694,217, 4,025,349 and 4,046,572; British Pat. No. 1,242,588; and Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 14030/1969 and 24844/1977.

These sensitizing dyes may be used either individually or in combination. Combined sensitizing dyes are often used for the purpose of supersensitization, as typically described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,688,545, 2,977,229, 3,397,060, 3,522,052, 3,527,641, 3,617,293, 3,628,964, 3,666,480, 3,672,898, 3,679,428, 3,703,377, 3,769,301, 3,814,609, 3,837,862 and 4,026,707; British Pat. Nos. 1,344,281 and 1,507,803; Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 4936/1968 and 12375/1978; and Unexamined Published Japanese Patent Application Nos. 110618/1977 and 109925/1977.

The silver halide emulsion used in the present invention may incorporate a variety of known photographic additives such as those described in Research Disclosure No. 17643.

The silver halide color photographic material of the present invention may use any support material that is properly selected from among known materials depending on the specific object, such as plastic films, plastic laminated paper, baryta paper and synthetic paper.

The silver halide color photographic material of the invention may adopt any of the layer arrangements commonly used in the photographic industry.

The so arranged silver halide color photographic material of the invention is exposed and thereafter subjected to color development by a variety of photographic processing techniques. The color developer used to process this photographic material may contain any of the known aromatic primary amine color developing agents that are extensively used in various color photographic processes. Such developing agents include aminophenolic and p-phenylenediamine derivatives. These compounds are generally used in salt forms, such as hydrochlorides or sulfates, which are stabler than the free state. These compounds are used in concentrations that generally range from about 0.1 to about 30 g, preferably from about 1 g to about 1.5 g, per liter of the color developer.

Illustrative aminophenolic developing agents include o-aminophenol, p-aminophenol, 5-amino-2-oxytoluene, 2-amino-3-oxytoluene, and 2-oxy-3-amino-1,4-dimethylbenzene.

Particularly useful primary aromatic amino color developing agents are N,N'-dialkyl-p-phenylenediamine compounds wherein the alkyl or phenyl group may have a suitable substituent. Among these compounds, the following are particularly advantageous: N,N'-diethyl-p-phenylenediamine hydrochloride, N-methyl-p-phenylenediamine hydrochloride, N,N'-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine hydrochloride, 2-amino-5-(N-ethyl-N-dodecylamino)-toluene, N-ethyl-N-.beta.-methanesulfonamidoethyl-3-methyl-4-aminoaniline sulfate, N-ethyl-N-.beta.-hydroxyethylaminoaniline, 4-amino-3-methyl-N,N'-diethylaniline, and 4-amino-N-(2-methoxyethyl)-N-ethyl-3-methylaniline-p-toluene sulfonate.

In addition to these primary aromatic amino color developing agents, the color developer used in the processing of the photographic material of the present invention may contain a veriety of additives that are commonly incorporated in color developers and such additives include alkali agents (e.g. sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate), alkali metal sulfites, alkali metal bisulfites, alkali metal thiocyanates, alkali metal halides, benzyl alcohol, water softeners and thickeners. The pH of the color developer is usually at least 7 and most generally ranges from about 10 to about 13.

After color development, the photographic material of the present invention is processed by a solution having the fixing ability. If this solution is a fixing bath, its use is preceded by a bleaching step. The bleaching bath used in the bleaching step or the bleaching agent used in a bleach-fixing bath is made of a metal complex salt of an organic acid. This metal complex salt has the ability not only to oxidize metallic silver (i.e., formed as a result of development) into silver halide but also to ensure complete color formation by a color former. The structure of this metal complex salt is such that an organic acid such as an aminopolycarboxylic acid, oxalic acid or citric acid is coordinated to a metal ion such as iron, cobalt or copper. The organic acids most preferred for use in forming metal complex salts are polycarboxylic acids or aminopolycarboxylic acids. The polycarboxylic acids or aminopolycarboxylic acids may be in the form of alkali metal salts, ammonium salts or water-soluble salts.

Typical examples of polycarboxylic acids or aminopolycarboxylic acids are listed below:

(1) ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid;

(2) diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid;

(3) ethylenediamine-N-(.beta.-oxyethyl)-N,N',N'-triacetic acid;

(4) propylenediaminetetraacetic acid;

(5) nitrilotriacetic acid;

(6) cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid;

(7) iminodiacetic acid;

(8) dihydroxyethylglycincitric acid (or tartaric acid);

(9) ethyletherdiaminetetraacetic acid;

(10) glycoletherdiaminetetraacetic acid;

(11) ethylenediaminetetrapropionic acid;

(12) phenylenediaminetetraacetic acid;

(13) ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt;

(14) ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tetra(trimethylammonium) salt;

(15) ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tetrasodium salt;

(16) diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid pentasodium salt;

(17) ethylenediamine-N-(.beta.-oxyethyl)-N,N',N'-triacetic acid sodium salt;

(18) propylenediaminetetraacetic acid sodium salt;

(19) nitrilotriacetic acid sodium salt; and

(20) cyclohexanediaminetetraacetic acid sodium salt.

In addition to metal complex salts of these organic acids which are used as bleaching agents, the bleaching bath used in processing the color photographic material of the present invention may contain a variety of additives, and preferred additives are rehalogenating agents such as alkali or ammonium halides (e.g. potassium bromide, sodium bromide, sodium chloride and ammonium bromide), metal salts and chelating agents. An other additives that are conventionally incorporated in bleaching baths may also be used and they include pH buffers (e.g. borate, oxalate, acetate, carbonate and phosphate salts), alkylamines and polyethylene oxides.

The fixing bath and bleach-fixing bath may also contain one or more pH buffers that are selected from among sulfites (e.g. ammnium sulfite, potassium sulfite, ammonium bisulfite, potassium bisulfite, sodium bisulfite, ammonium metabisulfite, potassium metabisulfite, and sodium metabisulfite), and a variety of acids or salts (e.g. boric acid, borax, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, acetic acid, sodium acetate and ammonium hydroxide).

If the photographic material of the present invention is processed in a bleach-fixing bath as it is supplied with a blix replenisher, thiosulfates, thiocyanates, sulfites or other salts may be incorporated either in the bleach-fixing bath or in the replenisher that is fed to said blix bath.

In order to increase the activity of the bleach-fixing bath used in processing the photographic material of the present invention, air or oxygen may be blown into a tank containing the bleach-fixing bath or its replenisher. Alternatively, a suitable oxidant such as hydrogen peroxide, bromate or persulfate may be added into the tank.

In the magenta coupler of the present invention, when R.sub.1 in the above-mentioned formula represents a t-butyl group and X represents a chlorine atom, R.sub.2 is preferably a group other than the following six groups: ##STR5##

The following examples are provided for further illustration of the claimed photographic material but are not to be construed as limiting the invention.

One tenth of a mole, per mole of silver, of one of the magenta couplers listed in Table 1 (which follows) was mixed with an equal weight of tricresyl phosphate and three times the coupler's weight of ethyl acetate, and the mixture was heated to 60.degree. C. to form a complete solution. The solution was then mixed with 1,200 ml of 5% aqueous gelatin solution containing 120 ml of a 5% aqueous solution of Alkanol B (trade name of du Pont for alkylnaphthalene sulfonate). The mixture was emulsified with an ultrasonic disperser and the dispersion obtained was added to 4 kg of a green-sensitive silver iodobromide emulsion (containing 6 mol % AgI). To the mixture, 120 ml of a 2% solution (water:methanol=1:1) of 1,2-bis(vinylsulfonyl)-ethane was added as a hardener, and the so prepared coating solution was applied to a subbed transparent polyester base, and the web was dried to provide a sample of color photographic material (with silver deposit of 20 mg/100 cm.sup.2). The other samples were prepared by the same procedure.

Each of the samples thus prepared was subjected to exposure through an optical wedge as in the conventional process and subsequently processed by the following scheme. The results of such photographic processing are shown in Table 1 below.

Processing scheme

The formulation of each of the processing solutions used is indicated below.

Color developer

Bleaching bath

Fixing bath:

Stabilizing bath

The data in Table 1 show that the couplers prepared in accordance with the present invention satisfied all the requirements for high color density and the production of formalin-resistant and light-fast dye images.

Sample Nos. 21 to 28 as prepared in Example 1 were exposed through an optical wedge and subsequently processed by the following scheme. The results are shown in Table 2. The specific sensitivity and light fastness were measured by the same methods as used in Example 1.

Processing scheme:

The solutions used in this scheme had the following formulations.

Color developer

Bleach-fixing bath

Stabilizing bath

As the data in Table 2 show, the samples containing the magenta couplers prepared in accordance with the present invention were superior to those containing the comparative couplers in respect to sensitivity, color density and the production of light-fast dye images.

A sample of silver halide color photographic material was prepared by coating the following layers in sequence on a support made of polyethylene coated paper containing anatase type TiO.sub.2. The amounts of the additives incorporated in each of the layers described below are based on an area of 100 cm.sup.2.

(1) Layer containing 20 mg of gelatin, 5 mg in terms of silver of a blue-sensitive silver chlorobromide emulsion and 3 mg of dioctyl phthalate coupler solvent having dissolved therein 8 mg of Y-coupler* and 0.1 mg of 2,5-di-t-octylhydroquinone:

(2) Interlayer containing 12 mg of gelatin, and 2 mg of dibutyl phthalate UV absorber solvent having 0.5 mg of 2,5-di-t-octylhydroquinone and 4 mg of UV absorber* dissolved therein:

(3) Layer containing 18 mg of gelatin, 4 mg in terms of silver of a green-sensitive silver chlorobromide emulsion, and 2.5 mg of dioctyl phthalate coupler solvent having dissolved therein 5 mg of M-coupler*, 2 mg of antioxidant* and 0.2 mg of 2,5-di-t-octylhydroquinone:

(4) Interlayer having the same composition as (2):

(5) Layer containing 16 mg of gelatin, 4 mg in terms of silver of a red-sensitive silver chlorobromide emulsion, and 2.0 mg of tricresyl phosphate coupler solvent having dissolved therein 3.5 mg of C-coupler* and 0.1 mg of 2,5-di-t-octylhydroquinone:

(6) Gelatin protective layer containing 9 mg of gelatin.

Each of the layers (1) to (6) also contained a coating aid, while layers (4) to (6) further contained a gelatin crosslinking agent. The ultraviolet absorber used in each of the layers (2) and (4) was a mixture of UV-1 and UV-2 having the structures shown below. The antioxidant incorporated in layer (3) was di-t-pentylhydroquinone-di-octyl ether.

Samples of multi-layered photographic material were prepared as above and each was processed as in Example 2. The specific types of the Y-coupler, M-coupler and C-coupler used, and the results of the photographic processing are shown in Table 3 below. Each of the samples was checked for its magenta density after exposure to white light.

The data in Table 3 show the improved light fastness of the dye images produced by using the magenta couplers prepared in accordance with the present invention. It was also clear that the light fastness of the images could be further improved by using UV absorbers in combination with the magenta couplers. ##STR10##