Heat-developable color photographic material containing dye releasing couplers

A method of forming a color image which comprises (1) imagewise exposing a heat-developable color photographic material comprising a support having thereon a layer containing at least a photographic silver halide, the photographic material containing an organic silver salt oxidizing agent, a reducing agent, a binder and a dye releasing compound which releases a diffusible image forming dye upon heat development wherein the dye releasing compound is represented by the following general formula:

• C--L--D
• where C represents a moiety capable of bonding to an oxidized product which is formed by a reaction between a reducing agent and an organic silver salt oxidizing agent;
• D represents a dye portion for forming an image which does not contain a carboxylic group or sulfonic acid group;
• and L represents a connection group between C and D and the bond between C and L is cleaved upon the reaction of C with the oxidized product of the reducing agent;
• and the support is capable of receiving a released dye or the support having thereon a layer compound of an organic high molecular weight compound which is capable of receiving a released dye, (2) developing the exposed photographic material by uniformly heating to release a diffusible dye and (3) diffusing the diffusible dye into the support or the layer capable of receiving the released dye.