Photographic material and process comprising a bicyclic pyrazolo coupler

Abstract: Novel bicyclic pyrazolo couplers containing a ballast group of formula (I): are useful in photographic materials and processes. The couplers exhibit increased coupling activity, and provide formation of dyes having improved maximum magenta image dye density, contrast, and development speed when employed in color photographic materials and processes.

Description: Field of the Invention This invention relates to novel bicyclic pyrazolo dye-forming couplers, to photographic silver halide materials and processes using such couplers and to the dyes formed therefrom. The couplers contain a ballast containing an alkylsulfamoylaryloxyacetamidoalkylene group having a substituted carbon as the link to the bicyclic ring. Background of the Invention Color images are customarily obtained in the photographic art by reaction between an oxidation product of a silver halide developing agent and a dye-forming coupler. Pyrazolone couplers are useful for forming magenta dye images; however, such couplers have shortcomings with respect to color reproduction in that the unwanted absorption around 430 nm causes color turbidity. Bicyclic pyrazolo couplers, particularly pyrazolotriazole couplers, represent another class of couplers for this purpose. Examples of bicyclic pyrazolo couplers are described in, for example, U.S. Patent 4,443,536; U.S. Patent Nos. 1,247,493; 1,252,418; and 1,398,979; and U.S. Patents 4,665,015; 4,514,490; 4,621,046, 4,540,654; 4,590,153; 4,822,730 and European Patents 177,765 and 119,860. One class of pyrazolotriazole couplers includes 1H-pyrazolo[3,2-c][1,2,4] triazole couplers and another includes 1H-pyrazolo[1,5-b][1,2,4] triazole couplers, such as described in European Patent 177765. While these couplers have a reduced level of unwanted absorption, the conversion of the coupler into an azomethine dye is slow and the attainable maximum density, contrast, and speed are reduced due to lower coupling efficiency. The aforementioned U.S. 4,822,730 discloses pyrazolotriazoles having a group expressed by the formula -(A)L-B where L represents -N(R)SO 2 -, -SO 2 N(R)-, or -N(R)SO 2 N(R)-. The compounds exemplified contain a methyl or unbranched alkyl group at the 6- position rather that a fully substituted carbon. For example, the following compound is suggested: These couplers do not fully satisfy the needs for activity and color reproduction. Bicyclic pyrazolo couplers containing a t-butyl group at the 6-position are described in U.S. Patent 4,882,266. Such couplers suffer from the disadvantage of lower coupling reactivity manifested by lower contrast and Dmax as well as low speeds compared to the corresponding methyl substituted analogs. Bicyclic pyrazolo DIR couplers containing an isopropyl group in the 6-position are described in JP-A-4 308 842. Thus, while such magenta dye-forming couplers are useful in photographic silver halide materials and processes, many of such couplers do not have sufficient coupler reactivity. Moreover, the existing products are deficient with respect to obtainable speed, dye light stability, and color reproduction. The problem with the existing couplers is that they do not provide a satisfactory reactivity. Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided a photographic element comprising a support bearing at least one photographic silver halide emulsion layer and having associated therewith a dye-forming bicyclic pyrazolo-based coupler characterised in that the coupler has the general Formula (II): wherein: R 1 to R 6 are independently hydrogen or a substituent, R 7 is a substituent, with the proviso that R 1 and R 2 do not simultaneously represent hydrogen; m is 0 to 5, n is 0 or 1, p is 0 to 4; L is a divalent linking group connecting the BD group to the phenylene ring; B is -N(R 8 )SO 2 -where R 8 is a hydrogen atom or a substituent; D is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group R is hydrogen or a substituent; X is chloro; and Z a , Z b and Z c are independently a substituted or unsubstituted methine group, =N-, =C- or -NH-, provided that one of either the Z a -Z b bond or the Z b -Z c bond is a double bond and the other is a single bond, and when the Z b -Z c bond is a carbon-carbon double bond, it may form part of an aromatic ring, and wherein at least one of Z a , Z b and Z c represents a methine group connected with the ballast. It has been found that photographic elements containing these couplers exhibit increased reactivity manifested by improved maximum density, speed and contrast. Detailed Description of the Invention The said 6-position corresponds to the 3-position on the pyrazole ring before fusion. Suitably R 1 to R 6 and R 8 may be hydrogen and R 1 to R 8 may be a substituent group known in the art which typically promotes solubility, diffusion resistance, dye hue, or dye stability of the dye formed upon reaction of the coupler with the oxidized color developing agent. These may be halogen or an aliphatic residue including a straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl or alkynyl group, a heterocycle, an aralkyl group, a cycloalkyl group or a cycloalkenyl group. The aliphatic residue may be substituted with a substituent bonded through an oxygen atom, a nitrogen atom, a sulfur atom or a carbonyl group, a hydroxy group, an amino group, a nitro group, a carboxy group, an amido group, cyano or halogen. Most preferably they are hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, a carbonamido group, a sulfonamido group, a sulfone group, a thio group, a sulfoxide group, a ureido group or a multicyclic group, with the proviso that R 1 and R 2 do not simultaneously represent hydrogen. The linking group L is a divalent group. Suitably, L may be an alkylene, arylene, or aryloxylene group of from 1 to 20 carbon atoms An embodiment of the invention is a photographic element comprising a support bearing at least one photographic silver halide emulsion layer and a dye-forming bicyclic pyrazolo coupler wherein the dye-forming coupler of formula (II). A preferred coupler according to the invention is represented by formula (III) wherein R, X, and R 1 to R 8, L, B, D, and m and n are as described above. Specific examples of couplers useful in the elements of the invention are Examples of substituent groups for R 1 to R 8 include: an alkyl group which may be straight or branched, and which may be substituted, such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, t-butyl, trifluoromethyl, tridecyl or 3-(2,4-di-t-amylphenoxy) propyl; an alkoxy group which may be substituted, such as methoxy or ethoxy; an alkylthio group which may be substituted, such as methylthio or octylthio; an aryl group, an aryloxy group or an arylthio group, each of which may be substituted, such as phenyl, 4-t-butylphenyl, 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, phenoxy, 2-methylphenoxy, phenylthio or 2-butoxy-5-t-octylphenylthio; a heterocyclic group, a heterocyclic oxy group or a heterocyclic thio group, each of which may be substituted and which contain a 3 to 7 membered heterocyclic ring composed of carbon atoms and at least one hetero atom selected from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur, such as 2-furyl, 2-thienyl, 2-benzimidazolyloxy or 2-benzothiazolyl; cyano; an acyloxy group which may be substituted, such as acetoxy or hexadecanoyloxy; a carbamoyloxy group which may be substituted, such as N-phenylcarbamoyloxy or N-ethylcarbamoyloxy; a silyloxy group which may be substituted, such as trimethylsilyloxy; a sulfonyloxy group which may be substituted, such as dodecylsulfonyloxy; an acylamino group which may be substituted, such as acetamido or benzamido; an anilino group which may be substituted, such as phenylanilino or 2-chloroanilino; an ureido group which may be substituted, such as phenylureido or methylureido; an imido group which may be substituted, such as N-succinimido or 3-benzylhydantoinyl; a sulfamoylamino group which may be substituted, such as N,N-dipropyl-sulfamoylamino or N-methyl-N-decylsulfamoylamino. Additional examples of substituent groups include: a carbamoylamino group which may be substituted, such as N-butylcarbamoylamino or N,N-dimethyl-carbamoylamino; an alkoxycarbonylamino group which may be substituted, such as methoxycarbonylamino or tetradecyloxycarbonylamino; an aryloxycarbonylamino group which may be substituted, such as phenoxycaronylamino or 2,4-di-t-butylphenoxycarbonylamino; a sulfonamido group which may be substituted, such as methanesulfonamido or hexadecanesulfonamido; a carbamoyl group which may be substituted, such as N-ethylcarbamoyl or N,N-dibutylcarbamoyl; an acyl group which may be substituted, such as acetyl or (2,4-di-t-amylphenoxy)acetyl; a sulfamoyl group which may be substituted such as N-ethylsulfamoyl or N,N-dipropylsulfamoyl; a sulfonyl group which may be substituted, such as methanesulfonyl or octanesulfonyl; a sulfinyl group which may be substituted, such as octanesulfinyl or dodecylsulfinyl; an alkoxycarbonyl group which may be substituted, such as methoxycarbonyl or butyloxycarbonyl; an aryloxycarbonyl group which may be substituted, such as phenyloxycarbonyl or 3-pentadecyloxycarbonyl; an alkenyl group carbon atoms which may be substituted; a carboxyl group which may be substituted; a sulfo group which may be substituted; hydroxyl; an amino group which may be substituted; or a carbonamido group which may be substituted. Substituents for the above substituted groups include halogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aryloxy group, a heterocyclic or a heterocyclic oxy group, cyano, an alkoxy group, an acyloxy group, a carbamoyloxy group, a silyloxy group, a sulfonyloxy group, an acylamino group, an anilino group, a ureido group, an imido group, a sulfonylamino group, a carbamoylamino group, an alkylthio group, an arylthio group, a heterocyclic thio group, an alkoxycarbonylamino group, an aryloxycarbonylamino group, a sulfonamido group, a carbamoyl group, an acyl group, a sulfamoyl group, a sulfonyl group, a sulfinyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, an alkenyl group, a carboxyl group, a sulfo group, hydroxyl, an amino group or a carbonamido group. Generally, R and D and the above groups and substituents thereof which contain an alkyl group may include an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms. The above groups and substituents thereof which contain an aryl group may include an aryl group having 6 to 8 carbon atoms, and the above groups and substituents which contain an alkenyl group may include an alkenyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms. The bicyclic pyrazolo coupler contains in the coupling position, represented by X in formulae (II) and (III), hydrogen or a coupling-off group also known as a leaving group. Coupling-off groups are known to those skilled in the art. Such groups can determine the equivalency of the coupler, can modify the reactivity of the coupler, or can advantageously affect the layer in which the coupler is coated or other layers in the element by performing, after release from the coupler, such functions as development inhibition, development acceleration, bleach inhibition, bleach acceleration, color correction, and the like. Representative classes of coupling-off groups include halogen, particularly chlorine, bromine, or fluorine, alkoxy, aryloxy, heterocyclyloxy, heterocyclic, such as hydantoin and pyrazolo groups, sulfonyloxy, acyloxy, carbonamido, imido, acyl, heterocyclylimido, thiocyano, alkylthio, arylthio, heterocyclylthio, sulfonamido, phosphonyloxy and arylazo. They are described in, for example, U.S. Patents 2,355,169; 3,227,551; 3,432,521; 3,476,563; 3,617,291; 3,880,661; 4,052,212 and 4,134,766; and in U.K. patents and published application numbers 1,466,728; 1,531,927; 1,533,039; 2,006,755A and 2,017,704A; the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Examples of specific coupling-off groups are Cl, F, Br, -SCN, -OCH 3 , -OC 6 H 5 , -OCH 2 C(=O)NHCH 2 CH 2 OH, -OCH 2 C(=O)NHCH 2 CH 2 OCH 3 , -OCH 2 C(=O)NHCH 2 CH 2 OC(=O)OCH 3 , -NHSO 2 CH 3 , -OC(=O)C 6 H 5 , -NHC(=O)C 6 H 5 , OSO 2 CH 3 , -P(=O)(OC 2 H 5 ) 2 , -S(CH 2 ) 2 CO 2 H, Preferably, the coupling-off group is H or halogen, and more preferably, H or Cl. The L group links one of the aryloxy groups to the bicyclic pyrazolo core. Suitable L groups include the following: wherein: p is an integer of 1-6; m is 0, 1 or 2; each R' independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent; and Ar represents a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene group (for example, a 1,4-phenylene group, a 1,3-phenylene group, etc. Representative Ar groups include the following: preferably, R and R' are independently hydrogen or lower alkyl. Generally, a ballast group is an organic radical of such size and configuration as to confer on the coupler molecule sufficient bulk to render the coupler substantially non-diffusible from the layer in which it is coated in a photographic element. Thus, the combination of groups L, R and R 1 to R 8 from the formula are chosen to meet this criteria as can be determined by one skilled in the art. The materials of the invention can be used in any of the ways and in any of the combinations known in the art. Typically, the invention materials are incorporated in a silver halide emulsion and the emulsion coated as a layer on a support to form part of a photographic element. Alternatively, they can be incorporated at a location adjacent to the silver halide emulsion layer where, during development, they will be in reactive association with development products such as oxidized color developing agent. Thus, as used herein, the term "associated" signifies that the compound is in the silver halide emulsion layer or in an adjacent location where, during processing, it is capable of reacting with silver halide development products. To control the migration of various components, it may be desirable to include a high molecular weight hydrophobe or "ballast" group in the component molecule. Representative ballast groups include substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or aryl groups containing 8 to 42 carbon atoms. Representative substituents on such groups include alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, alkylthio, hydroxy, halogen, alkoxycarbonyl, aryloxcarbonyl, carboxy, acyl, acyloxy, amino, anilino, carbonamido, carbamoyl, alkylsulfonyl, arysulfonyl, sulfonamido, and sulfamoyl groups wherein the substituents typically contain 1 to 42 carbon atoms. Such substituents can also be further substituted. The photographic elements can be single color elements or multicolor elements. Multicolor elements contain image dye-forming units sensitive to each of the three primary regions of the spectrum. Each unit can comprise a single emulsion layer or multiple emulsion layers sensitive to a given region of the spectrum. The layers of the element, including the layers of the image-forming units, can be arranged in various orders as known in the art. In an alternative format, the emulsions sensitive to each of the three primary regions of the spectrum can be disposed as a single segmented layer. A typical multicolor photographic element comprises a support bearing a cyan dye image-forming unit comprised of at least one red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith at least one cyan dye-forming coupler, a magenta dye image-forming unit comprising at least one green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith at least one magenta dye-forming coupler, and a yellow dye image-forming unit comprising at least one blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith at least one yellow dye-forming coupler. The element can contain additional layers, such as filter layers, interlayers, overcoat layers, subbing layers, and the like. If desired, the photographic element can be used in conjunction with an applied magnetic layer as described in Research Disclosure , November 1992, Item 34390 published by Kenneth Mason Publications, Ltd., Dudley Annex, 12a North Street, Emsworth, Hampshire P010 7DQ, ENGLAND. In the following discussion of suitable materials for use in the emulsions and elements of this invention, reference will be made to Research Disclosure , December 1989, Item 308119, available as described above, which will be identified hereafter by the term "Research Disclosure." The contents of the Research Disclosure, including the patents and publications referenced therein, are incorporated herein by reference, and the Sections hereafter referred to are Sections of the Research Disclosure. The silver halide emulsions employed in the elements of this invention can be either negative-working or positive-working. Suitable emulsions and their preparation as well as methods of chemical and spectral sensitization are described in Sections I through IV. Color materials and development modifiers are described in Sections VII and XXI. Vehicles are described in Section IX, and various additives such as brighteners, antifoggants, stabilizers, light absorbing and scattering materials, hardeners, coating aids, plasticizers, lubricants and matting agents are described , for example, in Sections V, VI, VIII, X, XI, XII, and XVI. Manufacturing methods are described in Sections XIV and XV, other layers and supports in Sections XIII and XVII, processing methods and agents in Sections XIX and XX, and exposure alternatives in Section XVIII. Photographic elements can be exposed to actinic radiation, typically in the visible region of the spectrum, to form a latent image and can then be processed to form a visible dye image. Processing to form a visible dye image includes the step of contacting the element with a color developing agent to reduce developable silver halide and oxidize the color developing agent. Oxidized color developing agent in turn reacts with the coupler to yield a dye. With negative-working silver halide, the processing step described above provides a negative image. The described elements can be processed in the known C-41 color process as described in The British Journal of Photography Annual of 1988, pages 191-198. Preferred color developing agents are p-phenylenediamines such as: 4-amino-N,N-diethylaniline hydrochloride, 4-amino-3-methyl-N,N-diethylaniline hydrochloride, 4-amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N-(β-(methanesulfonamido) ethyl)aniline sesquisulfate hydrate, 4-amino-3-methyl-N-ethyl-N-(β-hydroxyethyl)aniline sulfate, 4-amino-3-β-(methanesulfonamido)ethyl-N,N-diethylaniline hydrochloride and 4-amino-N-ethyl-N-(2-methoxyethyl)-m-toluidine di-p-toluene sulfonic acid. Development is usually followed by the conventional steps of bleaching, fixing, or bleach-fixing, to remove silver or silver halide, washing, and drying. Suitable stabilizers for the photographic elements of this invention include the following: These couplers as described are prepared by general methods of synthesis described in the art, such as in U.S. Patent No. 4,540,654. An illustrative scheme is as follows: Synthesis Example - Coupler M-1 An example of synthesis of a coupler as described is as follows: The couplers according to this invention can be prepared by following the general Scheme I as illustrated for Coupler M-1 Preparation of ballast acid chloride (5) 4.56g (0.01 mol) of 2-(4-(butylsulfonly)amino)phenoxy) - tetradecanoic acid was stirred in 20mL of dichloromethane at room temperature, followed by the addition of 2 drops of N, N'-dimethylformamide. The mixture was stirred for several minutes, followed by the dropwise addition of 1.90 g (0.015 mol) of oxalyl chloride. The reaction was stirred for 4H. The reaction was complete, as evidenced by methanolysis test. The solvent and the excess of reagent were removed in vacuo and the residue was treated (three times) with dichloromethane, followed by the removal invacuo to yield the ballast acid chloride as a heavy oil (5), which was used immediately in the following step. Preparation of the Magenta Coupler M-1 A suspension of 2.12 (0.01 mol) of coupler-amine (6), and 1.33g (0.011 mol) of N, N-dimethylaniline in 20 mL of dry tetrahydrofuran was stirred and cooled at 0 o C. Followed by the dropwise addition of ballast acid chloride (5) in 5mL of THF. The mixture was stirred at 0 o C for 1 h, allowed to warm up at room temperature, and stirred overnight. The mixture was poured into a mixture of ice-water containing 1 mL of concentrated hydrochloric acid. The mixture was extracted with three 150 mL portions of ether. The combined organic extracts were washed with two 50 mL portions of water, dried overanhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered, and concentrated in vacuo to yield a heavy oil. Purification by column chromatography (silica gel, eluant 0-15% EtDA 6 in CH 2 Cl 2 ) yielded 4.2g (65%) of pure magenta coupler (M-1). All of the analytical data confirmed the assigned structure. The following examples further illustrate the invention. Preparation of Photographic Elements: Dispersions of the couplers were prepared in the following manner: The quantities of each component are found in Table I. In one vessel the coupler, stabilizer (2, 2',3, 3'-tetrahydro-3, 3, 3', 3'-tetramethyl-5, 5', 6, 6'-tetrapropoxy-1, 1'-spirobi[1H-indene]), coupler solvent (diethyl dodecanamide), and ethyl acetate were combined and warmed to dissolve. In a second vessel, gelatin, Alkanol XC™ (surfactant and Trademark of E. I. DuPont Co., USA) and water were combined and warmed to about 40°C. The two mixtures were mixed together and passed three times through a Gaulin colloid mill. The ethyl acetate was removed by evaporation and water was added to restore the original weight after milling. Dispersion Number Coupler Number Coupler Grams Stabilizer Grams Coupler Solvent Grams Ethyl Acetate Grams 24% Gelatin Grams Alkanol-XC (10%) Grams Grams of Water 1 M-1 0.808 0.404 1.211 2.423 9.69 2.33 21.89 2 C-1 0.737 0.368 1.105 2.211 9.69 2.33 22.32 3 C-2 0.903 0.452 1.355 2.710 9.69 2.33 21.32 Comparative Coupler C-1: Comparative Coupler C-2: The photographic elements were prepared by coating the following layers in the order listed on a resin-coated paper support: 1st Layer Gelatin 3.23 g/m 2 2nd Layer Gelatin 1.61 g/m 2 Coupler Dispersion (See Table II) 4.3 x 10 -7 mole coupler/m 2 Green-sensitized AgCl emulsion 0.17 mg Ag/m 2 4th Layer Gelatin 1.40 g/m 2 Bis(vinylsulfonylmethyl)ether 0.14 g/m 2 Exposing and Processing of Photographic Elements: The photographic elements were given stepwise exposures to green light and processed as follows at 35°C: Developer 45 seconds Bleach-Fix 45 seconds Wash (running water) 90 seconds The developer and bleach-fix were of the following compositions: Developer Triethanolamine 12.41 g Blankophor REU™ (Mobay Corp.) 2.30 g Lithium polystyrene sulfonate (30%) 0.30 g N,N-Diethylhydroxylamine (85%) 5.40 g Lithium sulfate 2.70 g N-{2-[(4-amino-3-methylphenyl)ethylamino]ethyl}-methanesulfonamide, sesquisulfate 5.00 g 1-Hydroxyethyl-1,1-diphosphonic acid (60%) 0.81 g Potassium carbonate, anhydrous 21.16 g Potassium chloride 1.60 g Potassium bromide 7.00 g Water to make 1.00 L pH @ 26.7°C adjusted to 10.4 +/- 0.05 Photographic Tests Magenta dyes were formed upon processing. The following photographic characteristics were determined: D Max (the maximum density to green light); Speed (the relative log exposure required to yield a density to green light of 1.0); Contrast (the ratio (S-T)/0.6, where S is the density at a log exposure 0.3 units greater than the speed value and T is the density at a log exposure 0.3 units less than the Speed value) and Lambda-Max (the wavelength of peak absorption at a density of 1.0). These values for each example are tabulated in Table II. Dispersion Coupler D Max Contrast Speed Lambda-Max 1 M-1 (Invention) 2.52 3.12 162 544 2 C-1 (Comparative) 2.41 3.09 160 550 3 C-2 (Comparative) 2.30 2.34 139 545 The data show that the couplers of the present invention yield higher maximum density (D Max ), higher contrast and higher speed than the corresponding comparative couplers.

Claims: A photographic element comprising a support bearing at least one photographic silver halide emulsion layer and having associated therewith a dye-forming bicyclic pyrazolo-based coupler characterised in that the coupler has the general Formula (II) : wherein: R 1 to R 6 are independently hydrogen or a substituent, R 7 is a substituent, with the proviso that R 1 and R 2 do not simultaneously represent hydrogen; m is 0 to 5, n is 0 or 1, p is 0 to 4; L is a divalent linking group connecting the BD group to the phenylene ring; B is -N(R 8 )SO 2 -where R 8 is a hydrogen atom or a substituent; D is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group R is hydrogen or a substituent; X is chloro; and Z a , Z b and Z c are independently a substituted or unsubstituted methine group, =N-, =C- or -NH-, provided that one of either the Z a -Z b bond or the Z b -Z c bond is a double bond and the other is a single bond, and when the Z b -Z c bond is a carbon-carbon double bond, it may form part of an aromatic ring, and wherein at least one of Z a , Z b and Z c represents a methine group connected with the ballast. A photographic element as in Claim 1, wherein the coupler is represented by formula (III): wherein R, X, and R 1 to R 8, L, B, D, and m, n, and p are as defined in Claim 1. A photographic element as in claim 1 or 2 wherein L is a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene, arylene, or aryloxylene group. A photographic element as in any of claims 1-3, wherein the total number of carbon atoms in R and R 1 to R 8 is at least 16. A photographic element as in any of claims 1-4, wherein L is an alkylene group. A photographic element as in any of claims 1-5, wherein R is methyl. A compound represented by the formula: wherein: R and R 1 to R 8 , L, B, D, m, X, Z a , Z b and Z c , n, and p are as described in claim 1.

Inventors: COWAN STANLEY W, TANG PING WAH, COWAN, STANLEY W., TANG, PING WAH, COWAN, STANLEY W., C/O EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY, TANG, PING WAH, C/O EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Applicants: EASTMAN KODAK CO, EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY
Application year: 1993
Main classification: G03C7
IPC codes: G03C7, C07D487