Electrophotographic photosensitive member, method of producing electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, and electrophotographic image forming apparatus

A process cartridge, comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• and
• at least one device selected from the group consisting of a charging device, a developing device, and a cleaning device,
• the process cartridge integrally supporting the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the at least one device, and being removably mounted onto a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein
• the electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a support, an intermediate layer on the support, and a photosensitive layer on the intermediate layer;
• and
• the intermediate layer contains a metal oxide and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by formula (1), a compound represented by formula (2), and a compound represented by formula (3):
• where R1 to R7 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, an amino group, an alkoxy group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, and a substituent of the substituted aryl group is an alkyl group, an aryl group, a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, or a carboxy group, and at least one of R1 to R7 represents a carboxy group;
• where R8 to R16 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, an amino group, an alkoxy group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, and a substituent of the substituted aryl group is an alkyl group, an aryl group, a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, or a carboxy group;
• where R17 to R24 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, an amino group, an alkoxy group, a group obtained by substituting one carbon atom in a main chain of the alkyl group with an oxygen atom, or a group obtained by substituting one carbon atom in the main chain of the alkyl group with a nitrogen atom, and a substituent of the substituted alkyl group is an alkyl group, an aryl group, a halogen atom, or a carbonyl group.

An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising:

• an electrophotographic photosensitive member;
• a charging device;
• an exposing device;
• a developing device;
• and
• a transferring device, wherein
• the electrophotographic photosensitive member comprises a support, an intermediate layer on the support, and a photosensitive layer on the intermediate layer, and
• the intermediate layer contains a metal oxide and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by formula (1), a compound represented by formula (2), and a compound represented by formula (3):
• where R1 to R7 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, an amino group, an alkoxy group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, and a substituent of the substituted aryl group is an alkyl group, an aryl group, a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, or a carboxy group, and at least one of R1 to R7 represents a carboxy group;
• where R8 to R16 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, an amino group, an alkoxy group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, and a substituent of the substituted aryl group is an alkyl group, an aryl group, a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, or a carboxy group;
• where R17 to R24 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, an amino group, an alkoxy group, a group obtained by substituting one carbon atom in a main chain of the alkyl group with an oxygen atom, or a group obtained by substituting one carbon atom in the main chain of the alkyl group with a nitrogen atom, and a substituent of the substituted alkyl group is an alkyl group, an aryl group, a halogen atom, or a carbonyl group.

An electrophotographic photosensitive member, comprising:

• a support;
• an intermediate layer on the support;
• and
• a photosensitive layer on the intermediate layer, wherein
• the intermediate layer contains a metal oxide and a compound represented by formula (1):
• where R1 to R7 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a hydroxy group, a carboxy group, an amino group, an alkoxy group, or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, and a substituent of the substituted aryl group is an alkyl group, an aryl group, a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, or a carboxy group, and at least one of R1 to R7 represents a carboxy group.