Oxidative release of photographically useful groups from hydrazide compounds

A photographic element comprising a support having thereon at least one red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith a cyan dye-providing material, at least one green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith a magenta dye-providing material, and at least one blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith a yellow dye-providing material, at least one of said emulsion layers also having associated therewith a compound containing a hydrazide moiety attached by a linking group, comprising an acidic group or an active methylene group adjacent to an acidic group, to a heteroatom of a moiety containing a photographic reagent;

• wherein:
• (a) said hydrazide moiety is capable of being oxidized to an azo group by an oxidized developing agent,
• (b) said azo group formation causes the release of said photographic reagent, and
• (c) said released photographic reagent does not contain said linking group or the nitrogen atoms of said hydrazide moiety.

A process comprising:

• (a) exposing a photographic element comprising a support having thereon a silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith a compound containing a hydrazide moiety attached by a linking group, comprising an acidic group or an active methylene group adjacent to an acidic group, to a heteroatom of a moiety containing a photographically useful group comprising a photographic dye or precursor thereof or a photographic reagent;
• (b) developing said exposed element with a silver halide developing agent, thereby oxidizing said developing agent;
• and
• (c) said hydrazide moiety then being oxidized in an imagewise manner to an azo group by said oxidized developing agent;
• whereby said azo group formation causes the release of said photographically useful group which does not contain said linking group or the nitrogen atoms of said hydrazide moiety.