Thermal solvents for heat image separation processes

A process for forming an improved dye image in an aqueous-developable photographic dry dye-diffusion transfer element comprising the steps of:

• providing an aqueous-developable chromogenie photographic dry dye-diffusion transfer element comprising radiation sensitive silver halide, an aqueous-developable material containing color coupler wherein said coupler forms or releases a heat-transferable dye upon reaction of said coupler with the oxidation product of a primary amine developing agent, a hydrophilic binder, and a thermal solvent wherein said thermal solvent has the structure I ##STR11## wherein (a) Z.sub.1, Z.sub.2, Z.sub.3, Z.sub.4, and Z.sub.5 are substituents, the Hammet sigma parameters of Z.sub.2, Z.sub.3, and Z.sub.4 sum to give a total, .SIGMA., of at least -0.28 and less than 1.53;
• (b) the calculated logP for I is greater than 3 and less than 10;
• (c) said thermal solvent is selected from the group consisting of 3-hydroxy benzoic acid esters and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid esters;
• exposing said dye-diffusion transfer element to actinic radiation;
• contacting said dye-diffusion transfer element with an aqueous-developing solution, wherein said aqueous-developing solution comprises a primary amine developing agent;
• contacting said dye-diffusion transfer element with an aqueous stop bath;
• drying said dye-diffusion transfer element;
• providing a dye-receiving layer and contiguous support, where said dye-receiving layer is in physical contact with said dye-diffusion transfer element;
• heating said dye-diffusion transfer element and dye-receiving layer to effect dye-diffusion transfer;
• and
• separating said dye-receiving layer and contiguous support from said dye-diffusion transfer element.