Multilayer color photographic materials

A method of effectively masking green-red color mixing in a multi color photographic material by a non-diffusible colored coupling compound which has a maximum absorption in the wavelength region of about 500 m.mu. to about 600 m.mu., which is red before coupling and forms a cyan dye after coupling and provides a low decrease in sensitivity during storage of the photographic material, which is exposed and developed, said photographic material comprising a support having coated thereon one or more red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layers containing a colorless cyan coupler, which, when two or more red-sensitive layers are used, differ in sensitivity, and a green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing a colorless magenta coupler, which method comprises coating on said support at least one layer having incorporated therein said non-diffusible colored coupling compound so that the optical density of the layer in which the colored coupling compound is present is about 0.05 to about 1.0, which releases upon coupling, during development, with the oxidation product of a primary aromatic amino color developing agent a diffusible dye which is removed from the photographic layer, said diffusible dye compensating for the green side absorption of the cyan dye, said layer being (1) a non-light-sensitive auxiliary layer disposed between the red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and the support;

• (2) a red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having higher relative sensitivity when two or more red-sensitive layers are used, or (3) a non-light-sensitive auxiliary layer disposed between the red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and the green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, wherein said non-diffusible colored coupling compound is a compound represented by the general formula
• [C] -- L -- [DD]
• wherein [C] represents a non-diffusible cyan coupling compound group containing a phenol or .alpha.-naphthol nucleus, [DD] represents a diffusible azo, indoaniline or indophenol dye group which possess a maximum absorption in the wavelength of about 500 to about 600 m.mu., --L-- represents a coupling group between the non-diffusible coupling compound group [C] and the diffusible dye group [DD] selected from an immide bond, a carbonyloxy bond, a sulfinyl bond, a sulfonyl bond, an ether bond, an imino bond, a sulfonyloxy bond, a sulfoamido bond, an amido bond, a carbamoyloxy bond, or a thioether bond, and --L--[DD] represents a group which can be released from the compound when the compound undergoes oxidative coupling with said primary aromatic amino color developing agent and which can be removed from the photographic layer during said development, wherein said non-diffusible colored coupling compound is present in an amount of less than 5.times.10.sup.-5 mol/m.sup.2 when present in the red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having higher relative sensitivity and is present in an amount of about 7.times.10.sup.-5 to 20.times.10.sup.-5 mol/m.sup.2 when present in said non-light-sensitive auxiliary layer disposed between the red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and the support or in said non-light-sensitive auxiliary layer disposed between the red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer and the green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, and thereafter image-wise exposing and developing in the pressence of said primary aromatic amino color developing agent.