Method for developing a high contrast photographic material containing a polyhydrazide nucleating agent

A method for developing an exposed high contrast photographic material, said photographic material comprising a support bearing at least one silver halide emulsion layer, containing at least one hydrazide nucleating agent, characterized in that

• a) said nucleating agent has the formula (I):
• wherein
• each A1 and each A2 is independently selected from the class consisting of a hydrogen atom, or a substituted or unsubstituted acyl, or alkyl- or aryl-sulfonyl group;
• each Y is independently selected from a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heterocyclic ring or ring system;
• each X is independently selected from S═O, C, C—NH and C—O;
• each L′ is independently selected from a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group;
• or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl or heterocyclic ring or ring system linked to Z via a substituted or unsubstituted alkylene group either directly or via a group selected from NR1CO—, NR1CONR2—, OCONR1— or NR1COO—, wherein R1 and R2 are independently selected from a hydrogen atom or a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group;
• each Z is independently selected from an unsubstituted or substituted group, ring or ring system attached via a heteroatom selected from sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen or phosphorus;
• each L is independently a divalent, trivalent or tetravalent linking group;
• p and each n are independently 0 or 1
• k is an integer from 0 to 8;
• and m is an integer from 2 to 4
• provided that when p is 0, n is 0 and m is 2;
• when p is 1, n is 0 or 1 and m is 2, 3 or 4;
• and
• T is a counterion or a salt forming acid,
• and characterized in that
• b) said photographic material is developed in a hydroquinone-free developer, comprising a main developing agent of the ascorbic acid or ascorbic acid salt type, and as auxiliary developing agent a mixture of 3-pyrazolidones of which at least one has the formula (II):
• wherein R8 and R9 each independently represent hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, or a group represented by the formula:
• (CH2)x—(L1)n1—A—(Sol)
• wherein x is between 0 and 5 and n1 is 0 or 1,
• L1 represents a divalent group selected from
• wherein R10=R11 or A—(Sol), R11=H, alkyl or aryl;
• A represents a divalent group selected from
• wherein q is between 0 and 5, and y is between 1 and 3;
• (Sol) is a solubilizing group selected from:
• CO2H, SO3H or a salt, SO3K, NHSO2R12, SO2NH2, SO2NHR12, polyhydroxyalkyl,
• wherein R12 is alkyl or aryl, R13 is OH, alkyl or aryl and R14 is hydrogen, alkyl or aryl;
• R3 to R7 in formula (II) each independently represent hydrogen, an alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryloxy group, or a group represented by the formula:
• (X1)z—(CH2)x—(L1)n1—A—(Sol)
• wherein z=0 or 1;
• X1 represents a divalent group selected from
• —O—, —S—, —NR10—
• x, L1, n1, A, (Sol) and R10 are as defined above,
• with the further proviso that at least one of the radicals R3 to R9 must contain a (Sol) group.