Electrophotographic photosensitive member, method for producing electrophotographic photosensitive member, process cartridge, electrophotographic apparatus, and imide compound

An electrophotographic photosensitive member, comprising:

• a support;
• an undercoat layer formed on the support;
• and
• a photosensitive layer formed on the undercoat layer, wherein the undercoat layer comprises a polymerized product of a composition comprising
• (i) an isocyanate compound which has three to six groups selected from the group consisting of —NCO group and —NHCOX1 group and has a molecular weight of 200 to 1300, the molecular weight being calculated without taking X1 into account when the isocyanate compound has the —NHCOX1 group, X1 being a group represented by any one of formulae (1) to (7) below
• (ii) a resin having a repeating structural unit represented by formula (B) below
• where R11 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, Y represents a single bond or a phenylene group, and W1 represents a hydroxy group, a thiol group, an amino group, or a carboxyl group;
• and
• (iii) at least one electron transporting substance selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by formula (A1) below, a compound represented by formula (A2) below, a compound represented by formula (A3) below, a compound represented by formula (A4) below, a compound represented by formula (A5) below, a compound represented by formula (A6) below, a compound represented by formula (A7) below, and a compound represented by formula (A8) below
• where R101 to R106, R201 to R210, R301 to R308, R401 to R408, R501 to R510, R601 to R606, R701 to R708, and R801 to R810 each independently represents a monovalent group represented by formula (A) below, a hydrogen atom, a cyano group, a nitro group, a halogen atom, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group, or a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group,
• at least one of the R101 to R106, at least one of the R201 to R210, at least one of the R301 to R308, at least one of the R401 to R408, at least one of the R501 to R510, at least one of the R601 to R606, at least one of the R701 to R708, and at least one of the R801 to R810 are each the monovalent group represented by formula (A) below,
• one of the carbon atoms in the alkyl group may be replaced with O, S, NH, or NR901, R901 representing an alkyl group,
• a substituent of the substituted alkyl group is a group selected from the group consisting of an alkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, and a halogen atom,
• a substituent of the substituted aryl group is a group selected from the group consisting of a halogen atom, a nitro group, a cyano group, an alkyl group, and a halogen-substituted alkyl group,
• Z201, Z301, Z401, and Z501 each independently represents a carbon atom, a nitrogen atom, or an oxygen atom,
• R209 and R210 are absent when Z201 is the oxygen atom,
• R210 is absent when Z201 is the nitrogen atom,
• R307 and R308 are absent when Z301 is the oxygen atom,
• R308 is absent when Z301 is the nitrogen atom,
• R407 and R408 are absent when Z401 is the oxygen atom,
• R408 is absent when Z401 is the nitrogen atom,
• R509 and R510 are absent when Z501 is the oxygen atom, and
• R510 is absent when Z501 is the nitrogen atom,
• α1βmγ (A)
• where at least one of α, β, and γ is a group having a substituent, the substituent being at least one group selected from the group consisting of a hydroxy group, a thiol group, an amino group, and a carboxyl group,
• l and m each independently represents 0 or 1,
• the sum of l and m is 0 to 2,
• α represents an alkylene group having 1 to 6 main-chain atoms, an alkylene group having 1 to 6 main-chain atoms and substituted with an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkylene group having 1 to 6 main-chain atoms and substituted with a benzyl group, an alkylene group having 1 to 6 main-chain atoms and substituted with a alkoxycarbonyl group, or an alkylene group having 1 to 6 main-chain atoms and substituted with a phenyl group and may have at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of a hydroxy group, a thiol group, an amino group, and a carboxyl group,
• one of the carbon atoms in the main chain of the alkylene group may be replaced with O, S, NH, or NR19, R19 representing an alkyl group,
• β represents a phenylene group, a phenylene group substituted with an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a phenylene group substituted with a nitro group, a phenylene group substituted with a halogen atom, or a phenylene group substituted with a alkoxy group and may have at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of a hydroxy group, a thiol group, an amino group, and a carboxyl group, and
• γ represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 main-chain atoms, or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 main-chain atoms and substituted with an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and may have at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of a hydroxy group, a thiol group, an amino group, and a carboxyl group.