Heat-sensitive recording material

A heat-sensitive recording material comprising a support and at least one heat-sensitive recording layer, wherein

• the heat-sensitive recording layer comprises at least one diazo compound and at least one coupler, and the at least one diazo compound is encapsulated in microcapsules and is represented by the following general formula (2):
• wherein R9 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an alkoxy group;
• R10 and R11 each independently represents an alkyl group;
• R12 and R13 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen, an alkyl group or an alkoxy group;
• and X- represents an anion.

A heat-sensitive recording method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a heat-sensitive recording material comprising a support and at least one heat-sensitive recording layer, the heat-sensitive recording layer comprising at least one diazo compound and at least one coupler, the at least one diazo compound being encapsulated in microcapsules and being represented by the following general formula (1):
• wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a halogen, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkylthio group or an arylthio group;
• R9 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an alkoxy group;
• and X− represents an anion;
• heating a recording surface of the heat-sensitive recording material imagewise to cause a reaction between the diazo compound and the coupler to form a color;
• and
• irradiating light to decompose the remaining diazo compound which has not formed a color.