Sulfonated xanthene dyes, and photographic products and processes employing these dyes

A photographic process which comprises:

• exposing a photographic product comprising a plurality of layers including a support and at least one photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer carried on the support, at least one of the plurality of layers comprising a colored xanthene derivative of the formula:
• ##STR10## in which X is an --SO.sub.2 --N(R.sup.6)--COR.sup.7 or --SO.sub.2 --N(R.sup.6)--CO.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.2 Y grouping, wherein R.sup.6 is an alkyl group containing not more than about 6 carbon atoms, R.sup.7 is an alkyl or aryl group containing not more than about 10 carbon atoms and Y is an electron-withdrawing group;
• Z is a hydrogen atom or an --SO.sub.2 --N(R.sup.1)--R.sup.2 --NR.sup.3 R.sup.4 R.sup.5 grouping;
• R.sup.1 is hydrogen or an alkyl group containing not more than about 6 carbon atoms;
• R.sup.2 is an alkylene group containing from 2 to about 10 carbon atoms;
• R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are each independently an alkyl group containing not more than about 6 carbon atoms, and R.sup.5 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group containing not more than about 6 carbon atoms;
• and
• contacting the exposed photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer(s) with an aqueous processing composition having an alkaline pH, and thereby effecting development of the exposed photosensitive silver halide emulsion layer(s).