Photographic recording materials

A photographic recording material comprising at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer, whereby the silver halide is spectrally sensitized by a cyanine dye of the general formula I,

• wherein the symbols have the following meanings;
• X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 are the same or different and are O, S, Se or NR.sub.10 ;
• R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 or R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are residues to complete an optionally substituted phenanthroazole or anthraazole with the remaining group R.sub.3 or R.sub.1 signifying hydrogen;
• R.sub.4 and R.sub.6 are the same or different and are hydrogen or together a .pi.-bond,
• R.sub.5 and R.sub.7 are the same or different and are hydrogen, alkyl or aryl or
• R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6 and R.sub.7 are the same or different and are residues of an unsubstituted or substituted benzazole, naphthazole, phenanthroazole or anthraazole;
• R.sub.8 and R.sub.9 are the same or different and are alkyl, sulphoalkyl, carboxyalkyl, --(CH.sub.2).sub.m --CO--NR.sub.11 --SO.sub.2 --R.sub.12 or --(CH.sub.2).sub.m --SO.sub.2 --NR.sub.11 --CO--R.sub.12 ;
• R.sub.10 is a residue as defined for R.sub.8 or aryl;
• R.sub.11 is hydrogen or the negative charge (.sup..crclbar.) which remains when a proton is removed;
• R.sub.12 is alkyl, aryl, --O.sup..sym. or --N(R.sub.13).sub.2 ;
• R.sub.13 is hydrogen, alkyl or aryl (the same or different);
• R is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkylthio or phenyl;
• m is an integer from 1 to 10;
• n is 0 or 1;
• and
• M.sup.+ is a cation optionally required to neutralize the charge, with the proviso that at least one of R.sub.8 or R.sub.9 is selected from the group consisting of a sulphoalkyl group, a carboxyalkyl group, a group --(CH.sub.2).sub.m --CO--NR.sub.11 --SO.sub.2 --R.sub.12 and a group --(CH.sub.2).sub.m --SO.sub.2 --NR.sub.11 --CO--R.sub.12.