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

A method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member comprising a support, an intermediate layer formed on the support, and a photosensitive layer formed on the intermediate layer, the method comprising:

• forming, on the support, a coat of a coating liquid for an intermediate layer containing a metal oxide and at least one selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the general formula (1), a compound represented by the general formula (2), and a compound represented by the general formula (3);
• and
• drying the coat to form the intermediate layer:
• in the general formulae (1) and (2), R1 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;
• in the general formula (3), 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.

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 selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the general formula (1), a compound represented by the general formula (2), and a compound represented by the general formula (3):
• in the general formulae (1) and (2), R1 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;
• in the general formula (3), 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 selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the general formula (1), a compound represented by the general formula (2), and a compound represented by the general formula (3):
• in the general formulae (1) and (2), R1 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;
• in the general formula (3), 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.