Photographic elements containing blend of cyan dye-forming couplers

A photographic element comprising at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith:

• (A) a cyan dye-forming coupler of formula (I)
• wherein:
• R1 and R2 are independently hydrogen or an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group;
• R″ and R″′ are independently selected from an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, amino, alkoxy or aryl group or a 5-10 membered heterocyclic ring which contains one or more heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, which ring is unsubstituted or substituted;
• and
• Z is a hydrogen atom or a group which can be split off by the reaction of the coupler with an oxidized color-developing agent;
• (B) a phenolic cyan dye-forming coupler of formula (II):
• wherein:
• R3 is an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl or aryl group or a 5-10 membered heterocyclic ring which contains one or more heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, which ring is unsubstituted or substituted;
• R4 is an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group;
• R5 is hydrogen, halogen or an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl or aryl group or a 5-10 membered heterocyclic ring which contains one or more heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, which ring is unsubstituted or substituted;
• and
• Z is a hydrogen atom or a group which can be split off by the reaction of the coupler with an oxidized color-developing agent;
• and
• (C) a stabilizer of formula (III)
• wherein:
• each Y is an independently selected substituent and m is 0 to 4;
• and
• each T is an independently selected substituent and p is 0 to 4.

A multi-color photographic element comprising a support bearing yellow, magenta and cyan image-dye-forming units comprising at least one blue-, green- or red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith at least one yellow, magenta or cyan dye-forming coupler respectively, wherein the element comprises at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith:

• (A) a phenolic cyan dye-forming “NB coupler” having the formula (IA):
• wherein:
• R′ and R″ are independently selected substituents such that the coupler is a “NB coupler” and Z is a hydrogen atom or a group which can be split off by the reaction of the coupler with an oxidized color developing agent;
• (B) a phenolic cyan dye-forming coupler of formula (II):
• wherein:
• R3 is an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl or aryl group or a 5-10 membered heterocyclic ring which contains one or more heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, which ring is unsubstituted or substituted;
• R4 is an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group;
• R5 is hydrogen, halogen or an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl or aryl group or a 5-10 membered heterocyclic ring which contains one or more heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, which ring is unsubstituted or substituted;
• and
• Z is a hydrogen atom or a group which can be split off by the reaction of the coupler with an oxidized color-developing agent;
• and
• (C) a stabilizer of formula (III)
• wherein:
• each Y is an independently selected substituent and m is 0 to 4;
• and
• each T is an independently selected substituent and p is 0 to 4.

A process of forming an image in a photographic element as hereinbefore defined after the element has been imagewise exposed to light, comprising contacting an element with a color-developing agent, the element comprising at least one light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith:

• (A) a phenolic cyan dye-forming “NB coupler” having the formula (IA):
• wherein:
• R′ and R″ are independently selected substituents such that the coupler is a “NB coupler” and Z is a hydrogen atom or a group which can be split off by the reaction of the coupler with an oxidized color developing agent;
• (B) a phenolic cyan dye-forming coupler of formula (II):
• wherein:
• R3 is an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl or aryl group or a 5-10 membered heterocyclic ring which contains one or more heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, which ring is unsubstituted or substituted;
• R4 is an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group;
• R5 is hydrogen, halogen or an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl or aryl group or a 5-10 membered heterocyclic ring which contains one or more heteroatoms selected from nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur, which ring is unsubstituted or substituted;
• and
• Z is a hydrogen atom or a group which can be split off by the reaction of the coupler with an oxidized color-developing agent;
• and
• (C) a stabilizer of formula (III)
• wherein:
• each Y is an independently selected substituent and m is 0 to 4;
• and
• each T is an independently selected substituent and p is 0 to 4.