Hydrogen bond donating/accepting thermal solvents for image separation systems

A process for forming an improved dye image comprising the steps of:

• providing in an aqueous-developable chromogenic photographic heat-transferable non-aqueous dye-diffusion-transfer photographic element comprising radiation sensitive silver halide, a dye-providing compound that forms or releases a heat-transferable image dye upon reaction of said compound with the oxidation product of a primary amine developing agent, a hydrophilic binder, and a thermal solvent for facilitating non-aqueous diffusion transfer wherein said thermal solvent has the formula according to formula (I) ##STR15## wherein AH is a hydrogen bond donating group with an aqueous pK.sub.a value for proton loss of greater than 6;
• L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 are each independently divalent linking groups consisting of groups of 1 to 12 atoms or are independently absent;
• m is 1, 2, or 3;
• Q comprises a group of 2 to 15 carbon atoms selected from the group consisting of aromatic rings, alkyl chains, alkyl rings, or ring-chain combinations, optionally substituted with substituents, Z, consisting of alkyl groups or halogens;
• B is a hydrogen bond accepting group with an aqueous pK.sub.a value for proton gain of less than 6;
• n is 1 or 2;
• at least one of the groups AH and B cannot hydrogen bond to form a ring of either 5 or 6 atoms;
• R is an alkyl, aryl or alkylaryl group of from 1 to 18 carbon atoms;
• the calculated log of the octanol/water partition coefficient (clogP) is greater than 3 and less than 10;
• exposing said non-aqueous dye-diffusion transfer element to actinic radiation;
• contacting said element with an aqueous-developing solution, wherein said solution comprises a primary amine developing agent;
• contacting said element with an aqueous bath of acidic pH;
• drying said element;
• providing a dye-receiving layer and a contiguous, dimensionally stable, 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 transfer element.

A heat developable chromogenic photographic heat-transferable dye-diffusion transfer element comprising radiation sensitive silver halide, a reducing agent, a dye-forming compound wherein said compound forms a heat transferable image dye devoid of functional groups with aqueous pK.sub.a values for proton loss of less than 6 upon reaction of said compound with the oxidation product of said reducing agent, hydrophilic binder, and a thermal solvent wherein said thermal solvent has the formula (I) ##STR17## wherein AH is a hydrogen bond donating group with an aqueous pK.sub.a value for proton loss of greater than 6;

• L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 are each independently divalent linking groups consisting of groups of from 1 to 12 atoms or are independently absent;
• m is 1, 2, or 3;
• Q comprises a group of 2 to 15 carbon atoms selected from the group consisting of aromatic rings, alkyl chains, alkyl rings, or ring-chain combinations, optionally substituted with substituents, Z, consisting of alkyl groups or halogens;
• B is a hydrogen bond accepting group with an aqueous pK.sub.a value for proton gain of less than 6;
• n is 1 or 2;
• at least one of the groups AH and B cannot hydrogen bond to form a ring of either 5 or 6 atoms;
• R is an alkyl, aryl or alkylaryl group of from 1 to 18 carbon atoms;
• the calculated log of the octanol/water partition coefficient (clogP) is greater than 3 and less than 10.

A process for forming an improved dye image in a photographic thermal dye-diffusion transfer element comprising the steps of:

• providing a heat-developable chromogenic photographic non-aqueous dye-diffusion transfer element comprising;
• radiation sensitive silver halide,
• a reducing agent,
• a dye-forming compound wherein said compound forms or releases a heat-transferable dye devoid of functional groups with aqueous pK.sub.a values for proton loss of less than 6 upon reaction of said compound with the oxidation product of a reducing agent,
• a hydrophilic binder, and a thermal solvent for facilitating non-aqueous dye diffusion transfer wherein said thermal solvent has the formula according to formula (I) ##STR19## wherein AH is a hydrogen bond donating group with an aqueous pK.sub.a value for proton loss of greater than 6;
• L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 are each independently divalent linking groups consisting of groups of 1 to 12 atoms or are independently absent;
• m is 1, 2, or 3;
• Q comprises a group of 2 to 15 carbon atoms selected from the group consisting of aromatic rings, alkyl chains, alkyl rings, or ring-chain combinations, optionally substituted with substituents, Z, consisting of alkyl groups or halogens;
• B is a hydrogen bond accepting group with an aqueous pK.sub.a value for proton gain of less than 6;
• n is 1 or 2;
• at least one of the groups AH and B cannot hydrogen bond to form a ring of either 5 or 6 atoms;
• R is an alkyl, aryl or alkylaryl group of 1 to 18 carbon atoms;
• the calculated log of the octanol/water partition coefficient (clogP) is greater than 3 and less than 10;
• exposing said heat-developable element to actinic radiation
• providing a dye-receiving layer and a contiguous, dimensionally stable, 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 thermal development and dye-diffusion transfer, and
• separating said dye-receiving layer and contiguous support from said dye-diffusion transfer element by automated mechanical means.