Photographic developing agents, process for developing using same, and light-sensitive materials containing same

A multi-layer color light-sensitive material comprising a support having thereon a blue-sensitive emulsion layer comprising at least one blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a yellow image-forming coupler, a green-sensitive emulsion layer comprising at least one green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a magenta image-forming coupler, and a red-sensitive emulsion layer comprising at least one red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a cyan image-forming coupler, said light-sensitive material further containing a photographic developing agent in at least one of said emulsion layers or an intermediate layer additionally present, wherein said photographic developing agent is represented by the formula (I):

• ##STR10## wherein one of X and Y is a group which inhibits development on release immediately after a developing agent is oxidized at development and is connected to the benzene ring in the agent represented by formula (I) by a sulfur, selenium or nitrogen atom, and the other of X and Y is an --NH--SO.sub.2 --Z group wherein Z is an alkyl group, an aryl group, or a heterocyclic group;
• A is a hydrogen atom or a group hydrolyzable under alkaline conditions;
• R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3, which can be the same or different, each is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an --S--Z' group wherein Z' is an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, an --NH--SO.sub.2 --Z" group wherein Z" is an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, an acylamido group, an amino group, a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, or an acyloxy group;
• and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 further may combine to form a ring.

A method of forming an image comprising developing an imagewise exposed silver halide photographic light-sensitive material having thereon at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer in the presence of a photographic developing agent represented by the formula (I):

• ##STR13## wherein one of X and Y is a group which inhibits development on release immediately after a developing agent is oxidized at development and is connected to the benzene ring in the agent represented by formula (I) by a sulfur, selenium or nitrogen atom, and the other of X and Y is an --NH--SO.sub.2 --Z group wherein Z is an alkyl group, an aryl group, or a heterocyclic group;
• A is a hydrogen atom or a group hydrolyzable under alkaline conditions;
• R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3, which can be the same or different, each is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an --S--Z' group wherein Z' is an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, an --NH--SO.sub.2 --Z" group wherein Z" is an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group, an acylamido group, an amino group, a halogen atom, a hydroxy group, or an acyloxy group;
• and R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 further may combine to form a ring.