JP2002258434A - Heat developable photosensitive material - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a heat developable photosensitive material having low fog and high Dmax (maximum density), excellent in sharpness and smoothness of dots and hardly causing black spots. SOLUTION: In the heat developable photosensitive material having a non- photosensitive organic silver salt, photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent for silver ions and a binder on the base, at least one compound imagewise generating a chemical species capable of forming development starting points on the non-photosensitive organic silver salt and in its vicinities is contained and the non-photosensitive organic silver salt is contained as fine grains satisfying all the following conditions (1)-(4); (1) 0.1-0.8 μm average equivalent spherical diameter, (2) an average major to minor axis size ratio of 1-4 in the principal planes, (3) an average aspect ratio of 2-30 and (4) 0.01-0.20 μm average thickness.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a photothermographic material, and more particularly to a scanner suitable for photolithography.
More specifically, the photothermographic material for an image setter has a low fog, a high Dmax (maximum density), an excellent halftone dot and excellent smoothness, and furthermore, a heat development which is hard to generate black spots. It relates to a photosensitive material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A photosensitive image forming layer is provided on a support,
Many photosensitive materials that form an image by image exposure are known. Among them, there is a technique of forming an image by thermal development as a system that contributes to environmental conservation and can simplify an image forming unit. In recent years, in the field of photoengraving, it has been strongly desired to reduce the amount of processing waste liquid from the viewpoint of environmental conservation and space saving. Therefore, there is a need to develop a technology relating to a photothermographic material for photolithography, which can be efficiently exposed by a laser scanner or a laser imagesetter and can form a sharp black image having high resolution and sharpness. is needed. According to such a photothermographic material, it is possible to supply a customer with a simpler and more environmentally friendly photothermographic processing system which does not require a solution processing chemical.

A method of forming an image by thermal development is described in, for example, US Pat. Nos. 3,152,904 and 3,4,904.
57,075, and D.C. Crosta Bohr (Kl
"Thermally Processed Silver Systems A" (Imaging Processes and Materials (Imag)
ing Processes and Materials) Neblette 8th edition,
J. Sturge, V.S. Walworth
th), A. Edited by Shepp, Chapter 9 Chapter 279
1989). Such photothermographic materials typically contain a reducible, non-photosensitive silver source (eg, an organic silver salt), a catalytically active amount of a photocatalyst (eg, silver halide), and a silver reducing agent dispersed in an organic binder matrix. It is contained in a state. The photosensitive material is stable at room temperature, but when heated to a high temperature (for example, 80 ° C. or higher) after exposure, silver is reduced through a redox reaction between a reducible silver source (which functions as an oxidizing agent) and a reducing agent. Generate This oxidation-reduction reaction is promoted by the catalytic action of the latent image formed by the exposure. The silver formed by the reaction of the reducible silver salt in the exposed areas becomes black and forms an image because it contrasts with the unexposed areas.

Conventionally known photothermographic materials are:
In many cases, the image forming layer is formed by applying a coating solution using an organic solvent such as toluene, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) or methanol as a solvent. The use of an organic solvent as a solvent not only adversely affects the human body in the manufacturing process, but also disadvantageous in cost because a solvent recovery and other steps are required.

Accordingly, a method has been proposed in which an image forming layer is formed by using a coating solution containing water as a solvent. For example, JP-A-49-52626, JP-A-53-116144
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. JP-A-2005-133125 describes an image forming layer using gelatin as a binder. JP-A-50-151138 describes an image forming layer using polyvinyl alcohol as a binder. Further, JP-A-60-617
No. 47 describes an image forming layer using a combination of gelatin and polyvinyl alcohol. As another example, JP-A-58-28737 describes an image forming layer using a water-soluble polyvinyl acetal as a binder. If such a binder is used, the image forming layer can be formed using a coating solution of a water solvent,
Environmental and cost benefits are significant.

However, when a polymer such as polyvinyl alcohol or water-soluble polyacetal is used as a binder, the silver tone of the developed part becomes brown or yellow, which is far from black which is originally preferable, and the blackening density of the exposed part is low. However, there was a problem that the density of the unexposed portion was high, and only those whose commercial value was significantly impaired could be obtained. In addition, the above-mentioned thermal developing system has a problem that the sharpness and smoothness of halftone dots are inferior to those of the conventional chemically processed photosensitive material. Furthermore, sand-like fog (black spots) generated in unexposed areas is easily generated, and improvement has been desired.
For this reason, with the binder used in the above-mentioned aqueous solvent coating solution, it is possible to obtain a high-contrast image with low fog and high Dmax (maximum density),
It has been desired to provide a photothermographic material which is excellent in smoothness and hardly generates black spots.

[0007]

The first problem to be solved by the present invention is that the fog is low and the Dmax (maximum density) is high especially for photothermographic materials for photoengraving, especially for scanners and imagesetters. Another object of the present invention is to provide a photothermographic material which is excellent in sharpness and smoothness of halftone dots and hardly generates black spots. A second object of the present invention is to provide a photothermographic material which can be applied in water and which is advantageous in terms of environment and cost.

[0008]

As a result of intensive studies, the present inventors have found that a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent for silver ions, A photothermographic material having a binder, the non-photosensitive organic silver salt containing at least one kind of compound capable of imagewise generating a chemical species capable of forming a development start point on and in the vicinity of the non-photosensitive organic silver salt; Are found as fine particles satisfying all of the following conditions (1) to (4), and the problem can be solved by the photothermographic material of the present invention. (1) Average sphere equivalent diameter is 0.1 μm to 0.8 μm (2) Average of long side / short side in main plane is 1 to 4 (3) Average aspect ratio is 2 to 30 (4) Average thickness is 0 .01 μm to 0.20 μm

In addition, a chemical species capable of forming a development start point on and in the vicinity of a non-photosensitive organic silver salt is added at 0.01 mol / silver mol instead of a compound which produces imagewise, so that the developed silver particle density can be increased. Is at least one of the compounds in which is increased to 200 to 5000%, or 0.01 m
ol / silver mol, the covering power is increased to 120 to 1000% by at least one of the compounds.
It has been found that the problem can also be solved by the photothermographic material of the present invention containing a seed.

The photothermographic material of the present invention comprises at least one photothermographic material.
It is preferable to contain some compounds represented by the following general formula (T).

Embedded image (In the formula, R ¹ is a hydrogen atom, —OM ² , an alkyl group substituted with at least one group containing at least one hetero atom, or an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an acyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxy group. Carbonyl group, acyloxy group, acylamino group, alkoxycarbonylamino group, aryloxycarbonylamino group, alkoxycarbonyloxy group, aryloxycarbonyloxy group, sulfonylamino group, sulfamoyl group, carbamoyl group, alkylthio group, arylthio group, amino group, Sulfonyl group, sulfinyl group, sulfonyloxy group, ureido group, silyl group, mercapto group,
It represents an aryl group or a heterocyclic group substituted with at least one group selected from a hydroxy group, a nitroso group, a sulfo group, a carboxyl group, a phosphate group, a heterocyclic group, and a halogenoalkyl group. L represents a linking group;
¹ and M ² represent a hydrogen atom or a cation. m is 0
5 represents an integer of 5, and n represents an integer of 1 to 3. However, when m is 0, and when m is 1 and R ¹ is -OH, L
Is a halogen atom, acyloxy group, alkoxycarbonyl group, aryloxycarbonyl group, formyl group, aryloxycarbonylamino group, alkoxycarbonyloxy group, aryloxycarbonyloxy group, amino group, sulfonyl group, sulfinyl group, sulfonyloxy group, silyl And a linking group substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from a group, a mercapto group, a hydroxy group, a nitroso group, a sulfo group, a phosphate group, and a heterocyclic group. )

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The photothermographic material of the present invention will be described below in detail. In this specification, “to” indicates a range including numerical values described before and after it as a minimum value and a maximum value, respectively. First, a chemical compound capable of forming a development start point on and near a non-photosensitive organic silver salt used in the photothermographic material of the present invention, which is imagewise generated, is added at 0.01 mol / silver mol. Developed silver particle density of 200-5000%
The covering power is increased by 120-1000% by adding the compound increasing at 0.01 mol / silver mol.
The compound which increases to will be described. In addition, in this specification, the compound corresponding to any of these to is referred to as “the compound of the present invention”.

First, a compound capable of forming a chemical species capable of forming a development start point on and near a non-photosensitive organic silver salt in an image-wise manner will be described. When the compound is not present in the light-sensitive material, physical development proceeds only on the silver halide on which a latent image has been formed by exposure. When a compound of the formula (1) is present in the photosensitive material, the chemical species generated with physical development occurring on the silver halide on which the latent image has been formed by exposure to light, such as a compound with an oxidized developing agent, reacts to form a non-photosensitive material. Chemical species capable of forming a development start point are formed on and near the organic silver salt. The species form a development starting point on and near a non-photosensitive silver salt, such as silver behenate, from which physical development occurs. That is, when the compound of the present invention is present in the light-sensitive material, physical properties are present both on the silver halide on which a latent image is formed by exposure and on and near the non-photosensitive organic silver salt on which an image-wise development start point is formed. Development proceeds.

FIG. 1 shows that the developed photosensitive material was cut to a thickness of 2 μm in both cases where the compound was present in the photosensitive material at 0.01 mol / silver mol (A) and in the absence (B). This is the result of taking an electron micrograph of the slice. The photothermographic materials targeted for photography were
Experiment No. 1 in Example 1 described later. The photothermographic material of No. 1 was subjected to development processing as described in Example 1. It is apparent from FIG. 1 that the number of developed silver particles was greatly increased by adding the compound of the present invention.

Next, compounds which increase the density of developed silver particles to 200 to 5000% by adding 0.01 mol / mol of silver will be described. The amount of increase in the density of developed silver particles was determined by taking a photograph as shown in FIG. 1 above for a sample in which all silver ions in the photosensitive material were reduced, counting the number of developed silver particles per unit area, and measuring the density. Can be obtained by comparing When the compound of the present invention is present in the light-sensitive material, the developed silver particle density is 200 to 500 as compared with the case where the compound is not present in the light-sensitive material.
Increase to 0%. A more preferred compound has a developed silver particle density increase rate of 500 to 3000%.

Next, by adding 0.01 mol / mol of silver, the covering power becomes 120-1000%.
The compound which increases to will be described. As used herein, the term "covering power" refers to a value obtained by dividing the visible density by the amount of developed silver (g / m ² ) for a sample in which all silver ions in the photosensitive material have been reduced. The increase of the covering power by the compound of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 (A) and 1 (B).
As can be seen from the comparison, a large number of smaller developed silver particles are formed. The covering power of the compound is more preferably from 150 to 500%.

Next, as specific examples of the compound of the present invention corresponding to any of the above, JP-A-2000-2843
No. 99, the hydrazine derivatives represented by the formula (H) (specifically, the hydrazine derivatives described in Tables 1 to 4 of the same specification), JP-A-10-10672, JP-A-10-10672
JP-A-161270, JP-A-10-62898, JP-A-9-304870, JP-A-9-304
No. 872, JP-A-9-304871, JP-A-10-31282, U.S. Pat. No. 5,496,69
5, all hydrazine derivatives described in European Patent Publication No. EP 741,320A;
No. 84399, substituted alkene derivatives represented by the formulas (1) to (3), substituted isoxazole derivatives and specific acetal compounds, and further represented by the formula (A) or the formula (B) described in the same specification. The cyclic compounds represented by the compounds, specifically, compounds 1 to 72 described in Chemical Formulas 8 to 12 of the same specification can be exemplified.

The compound of the present invention is described in JP-A-11-1.
The compound represented by the general formula (1) described in JP-A-49136 is more preferably used. Specific examples of the compound represented by the general formula (1) are shown below.

[0018]

[Table 1]

[0019]

[Table 2]

[0020]

[Table 3]

[0021]

[Table 4]

[0022]

[Table 5]

[0023]

[Table 6]

[0024]

[Table 7]

[0025]

[Table 8]

[0026]

[Table 9]

[0027]

[Table 10]

[0028]

[Table 11]

[0029]

[Table 12]

Further, the formic acid precursor described in Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-313207 is also preferably used. Specific examples of the compound are shown below.

[0031]

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The compound of the present invention has the following general formula (N
1), (N2), (N3), (N4), (N5), (N
Compounds represented by (6), (M1) and (M2) are preferably used.

The compound represented by formula (N1) will be described.

[0034]

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In the formula, X represents an electron-withdrawing group excluding a cyano group, and W is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group, a halogen atom, an acyl group, a thioacyl group, Oxalyl group, oxyoxalyl group, -S-oxalyl group, oxamoyl group, oxycarbonyl group, -S-carbonyl group, carbamoyl group, thiocarbamoyl group, sulfonyl group, sulfinyl group, oxysulfonyl group, -S-sulfonyl group, sulfamoyl Group, oxysulfinyl group, -S-sulfinyl group,
It represents a sulfinamoyl group, a phosphoryl group, a nitro group, an imino group, an N-carbonylimino group, an N-sulfonylimino group, an ammonium group, a sulfonium group, a phosphonium group, a pyrylium group, or an immonium group. R represents a halogen atom, an oxy group, a thio group, an amino group, or a heterocyclic group, except for an alkoxy group and an alkylthio group. When R represents a hydroxy group or a salt of a hydroxy group, neither X nor W represents a formyl group. When one of the combinations of X and W represents an unsubstituted alkoxycarbonyl group, the other does not represent an unsubstituted alkoxycarbonyl group or an unsubstituted alkylsulfonyl group. Further, X and W do not combine with each other to form a cyclic structure. Further, X, W, and R do not contain any diffusion-resistant group. X, W, and R are each a thioamide group, an aliphatic mercapto group, an aromatic mercapto group, a heterocyclic mercapto group and a benzotriazole group, a triazole group, a tetrazole group, an indazole group, a benzimidazole group via a linking group; Adsorption-promoting group for silver salts represented by a 5- to 6-membered nitrogen-containing heterocycle selected from imidazole, benzothiazole, thiazole, benzoxazole, oxazole, thiadiazole, oxadiazole, and triazine groups Shall not be included. Although X and R are shown in a cis form, X and R include a transformer form.

The electron withdrawing group represented by X is a substituent whose Hammett's substituent constant σp can take a positive value.
However, a cyano group is excluded. Specifically, a substituted alkyl group (eg, a halogen-substituted alkyl group), a substituted alkenyl group (eg, a cyanovinyl group), a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group (a trifluoromethylacetylenyl group, a cyanoacetylenyl group, a formylacetylene) A substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic group (a pyridyl group, a triazinyl group, a benzooxazolyl group, etc.), a halogen atom, an acyl group, an (acetyl group, a trifluoro group, etc.) Acetyl group, formyl group, etc.), thioacyl group (thioformyl group, thioacetyl group, etc.), oxalyl group (methyloxalyl group, etc.), oxyoxalyl group (ethoxalyl group, etc.), -S-oxalyl group (ethylthiooxalyl group, etc.), Oxamoyl group (methyl oxamoyl group etc.), oxycarbonyl group (ethoxycarbonyl group, A carbamoyl group, a thiocarbamoyl group, a sulfonyl group, a sulfinyl group, an oxysulfonyl group (such as an ethoxysulfonyl group), a -S-sulfonyl group (such as an ethylthiosulfonyl group) Group), a sulfamoyl group, an oxysulfinyl group (such as a methoxysulfinyl group),-
S-sulfinyl group (e.g., methylthiosulfinyl group),
Sulfinamoyl group, phosphoryl group, nitro group, imino group (imino group, N-methylimino group, N-phenylimino group, N-pyridylimino group, N-cyanoimino group, N
-Nitroimino group, etc.), N-carbonylimino group (N-
Acetylimino group, N-ethoxycarbonylimino group,
N-ethoxylylimino group, N-formylimino group, N
-Trifluoroacetylimino group, N-carbamoylimino group, etc., N-sulfonylimino group (N-methanesulfonylimino group, N-trifluoromethanesulfonylimino group, N-methoxysulfonylimino group, N-sulfamoylimino group And the like, an ammonium group, a sulfonium group, a phosphonium group, a pyrylium group, an immonium group, and the like, and a heterocyclic group in which an ammonium group, a sulfonium group, a phosphonium group, an immonium group, and the like form a ring is also included. The σp value is preferably 0.2 or more, more preferably 0.3 or more.

W represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group (eg, methyl, ethyl, trifluoromethyl), an alkenyl group (eg, vinyl, halogen-substituted vinyl, cyanovinyl), an alkynyl group (eg, acetylenyl, cyanoacetylenyl). Group), an aryl group (phenyl group, chlorophenyl group, nitrophenyl group, cyanophenyl group, pentafluorophenyl group, etc.), a heterocyclic group (pyridyl group, pyrimidyl group, pyrazinyl group, quinoxalinyl group, triazinyl group, succinimide group, A tetrazolyl group, a triazolyl group, an imidazolyl group, a benzooxazolyl group), a halogen atom, an acyl group, a thioacyl group, an oxalyl group, an oxyoxalyl group, -S-
Oxalyl group, oxamoyl group, oxycarbonyl group,
-S-carbonyl group, carbamoyl group, thiocarbamoyl group, sulfonyl group, sulfinyl group, oxysulfonyl group, -S-sulfonyl group, sulfamoyl group, oxysulfinyl group, -S-sulfinyl group, sulfinamoyl group, phosphoryl group, nitro group , Imino group, N-carbonylimino group, N-sulfonylimino group, ammonium group, sulfonium group, phosphonium group, pyrylium group, immonium group and the like.

As W, an aryl group and a heterocyclic group as described above are preferable, in addition to an electron-withdrawing group whose Hammett's substituent constant σp can take a positive value. However, in the present invention, when one of the combinations of X and W represents an unsubstituted alkoxycarbonyl group, the other does not represent an unsubstituted alkoxycarbonyl group or an unsubstituted alkylsulfonyl group.

X and W do not combine with each other to form a ring structure. R represents a halogen atom, an oxy group (hydroxy group, aryloxy group, heterocyclic oxy group, acyloxy group, alkenyloxy group, alkynyloxy group, alkoxycarbonyloxy group, aminocarbonyloxy group, etc.), thio group (mercapto group) , An arylthio group, a heterocyclic thio group, an alkenylthio group, an alkynylthio group, an acylthio group, an alkoxycarbonylthio group, an aminocarbonylthio group, etc.) and a hydroxy group
Organic or inorganic salts of mercapto groups, amino groups (amino groups, alkylamino groups, arylamino groups, acylamino groups, oxycarbonylamino groups, ureido groups, sulfonamide groups, etc.), heterocyclic groups (including 5- to 6-membered groups) Nitrogen heterocyclic group) and the like.

The heterocyclic group is a 5- to 6-membered nitrogen-containing heterocyclic ring, preferably a 5- to 6-membered nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic ring, more preferably a nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic ring bonded through a nitrogen atom in the ring. , A diazole ring group, a triazole ring group, a tetrazole ring group and the like, and specific examples thereof include an imidazole ring group and a benzotriazole ring group. The oxy group does not include an alkoxy group, and the thio group does not include an alkylthio group. Further, when R represents a hydroxy group or a salt of a hydroxy group, neither X nor W represents a formyl group.

R is preferably a hydroxy group, a mercapto group, a halogen atom, an organic or inorganic salt of hydroxy or mercapto, a hetero residue, and the like. More preferably, R is a hydroxy group, an organic or inorganic salt of hydroxy, or a hetero residue, and particularly preferably an organic or inorganic salt of hydroxy.

In the present invention, X, W and R do not contain any diffusion-resistant groups. The diffusion-resistant group is called a ballast group in a photographic coupler or the like, and has a bulky molecular weight such that an added compound does not move in a film of a light-sensitive material.

In the present invention, X, W and R all represent -O-, -S-, -N (R ¹ )-(R ¹ is a hydrogen atom,
Alkyl group, aryl group), -CO-, -CS
—, —SO ₂ —, —SO—, —P (O) —, an alkylene group, an arylene group, a heterocyclic group, etc., alone or in combination with a thioamide group, an aliphatic mercapto group Group, aromatic mercapto group, heterocyclic mercapto group and benzotriazole, triazole, tetrazole, indazole, benzimidazole, imidazole, benzothiazole, thiazole, benzoxazole, oxazole, thiadiazole, oxadiazole, 5 to 6 members selected from triazine Does not contain a group for promoting adsorption to a silver salt represented by a nitrogen-containing heterocycle.

In the present invention, a compound containing a thioether group (-S-) in the substituent represented by X or W is preferable. Further, it is preferable that at least one of X and W has the following alkene group. -C (R ² ) = C (Y) (Z) R ² represents a hydrogen atom and a substituent, and Y and Z represent a hydrogen atom and a substituent, but at least one of Y and Z is electron-withdrawing. Represents a functional group. Examples of the electron-withdrawing group among the substituents represented by Y and Z include those mentioned above as the electron-withdrawing group for X and W, in addition to the cyano group and formyl group. X and W represented by the above general formula include, for example, the following groups.

[0045]

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[0046]

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It is also preferred that at least one of X and W has the following alkyne group.

[0048]

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R ³ represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, and the substituent is preferably an electron-withdrawing group as described above in X and W. X and W represented by the above general formula
Examples thereof include the following groups.

[0050]

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It is also preferable that at least one of X and W has an acyl group selected from a substituted alkylcarbonyl group, an alkenylcarbonyl group and an alkynylcarbonyl group. Examples of X and W include the following groups. Can be

[0052]

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[0053]

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Further, it is also preferable that at least one of X and W has an oxalyl group. Examples of X and W include the following groups.

--COCOCH ₃ , --COCOOC ₂ H ₅ ,
_{-COCONHCH 3, -COCOSC 2 H 5,} -COC
OOC ₂ H ₄ SCH ₃ , —CONCONC ₂ H ₄ SCH ₃ , and those in which at least one of X and W has an aryl group substituted with an electron-withdrawing group or a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group are also preferable. For example, the following groups can be mentioned.

[0056]

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In the present invention, the alkene compound represented by the general formula (N1) includes all isomers when the double bond substituted by X, W, R and H can have an isomeric structure. Also, when it can take a tautomeric structure such as keto-enol, all isomers are included.

Specific examples of the compound represented by the general formula (N1) include the following compounds.

[0059]

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[0060]

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[0061]

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[0062]

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[0063]

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[0064]

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[0065]

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[0066]

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[0067]

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[0068]

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[0069]

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[0070]

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[0071]

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[0072]

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[0073]

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[0074]

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[0075]

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[0076]

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[0077]

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[0078]

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[0079]

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[0080]

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[0081]

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[0082]

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[0083]

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[0084]

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[0085]

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[0086]

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[0087]

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[0088]

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[0089]

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[0090]

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[0091]

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[0092]

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[0093]

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[0094]

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[0095]

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[0096]

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[0097]

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[0098]

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[0099]

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[0100]

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[0101]

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[0102]

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[0103]

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[0104]

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Next, the compound represented by formula (N2) will be described.

[0106]

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In the formula, R ¹¹ represents an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group. R ¹² represents a heterocyclic group, an alkenyl group or an amino group. X represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, and both A ¹ and A ² represent a hydrogen atom or one of them is a hydrogen atom and the other represents an alkylsulfonyl group, an oxalyl group or an acyl group.

R ¹¹ represents an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group. Specific examples of the alkyl group include a methyl group, an ethyl group, a tert-butyl group, a 2-octyl group, a cyclohexyl group, a benzyl group, Examples thereof include a diphenylmethyl group and a triphenylmethyl group. Specific examples of the aryl group include phenyl, p-methylphenyl, and naphthyl. Specific examples of the heterocyclic group include, for example, a triazole residue, an imidazole residue, a pyridine residue, a pyrimidine residue, an indole residue,
Examples include a benzothiazole residue, a benzimidazole residue, a furan residue, a thiophene residue, a piperidino group, a pyrrolidino group, and a morpholino group. R ¹² represents a heterocyclic group, an alkenyl group, or an amino group. Specific examples of the heterocyclic group include a triazole residue, an imidazole residue, a pyridine residue, a pyrimidine residue, an indole residue, and a benzothiazole residue. , A benzimidazole residue,
Examples thereof include a furan residue, a thiophene residue, a piperidino group, a pyrrolidino group, and a morpholino group. Specific examples of the alkenyl group include an ethenyl group and a propenyl group. Specifically as the amino group, a dimethylamino group,
Examples include a diethylamino group and an ethylmethylamino group. X represents an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom, and A ¹ , A
² is a hydrogen atom, or one is a hydrogen atom and the other is an acyl group (acetyl, trifluoroacetyl, benzoyl, etc.), a sulfonyl group (methanesulfonyl, toluenesulfonyl, etc.), or an oxalyl group (ethoxalyl, etc.)
Represents

Among the compounds represented by the general formula (N2), a compound represented by the following general formula (N2A) is more preferably used.

[0110]

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In the formula, R ¹¹¹ , R ¹¹² and R ¹¹³ each independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or heteroaryl group. X, R ¹² , A ¹ and A ² have the same meanings as in formula (N2).

R ¹¹¹ , R ¹¹² and R ¹¹³ each independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or heteroaryl group. Specific examples of the aryl group include phenyl, p-methylphenyl, naphthyl and the like. Can be Specific examples of the heteroaryl group include, for example, a triazole residue, an imidazole residue, a pyridine residue, a pyrimidine residue, an indole residue, a benzothiazole residue, a benzimidazole residue, a furan residue, and a thiophene residue. Can be

Also, R¹¹¹, R¹¹²And R¹¹³Each
And they may be bonded via any linking group. R¹¹¹, R¹¹²
And R¹¹³When has a substituent,
Is, for example, an alkyl group (R¹¹Synonymous with the alkyl group represented by
), An alkenyl group (R ¹²Alkenyl group represented by
), An alkynyl group (for example, an ethynyl group,
Ropagir group), an aryl group (R¹¹A represented by
The same as the reel group), the heterocyclic group (R¹¹Represented by
Quaternary nitrogen atom)
A heterocyclic group (eg, a pyridinio group),
Group, alkoxy group (for example, methoxy group, ethoxy group,
Represents a group such as a toxic group.
A group containing cyclic or propyleneoxy units repeatedly
), An aryloxy group (for example, a phenoxy group, p
-Groups such as methylphenoxy and naphthyloxy),
Siloxy group (eg acetyloxy group, trifluoro
Acetyloxy group, propionyloxy group, etc.),
Sil group (A¹Represents the same as the acyl group represented by)),
Alkoxycarbonyl group (for example, acetyloxycarbo
Nil group, trifluoroacetyloxycarbonyl group,
Groups such as ropionyloxycarbonyl)), aryloxy
Cyclocarbonyl group (for example, phenoxycarbonyl group, p-
Methylphenoxycarbonyl group, naphthyloxycarbo
Carbamoyl group (eg, carbamoyl group)
Group, methylcarbamoyl group, ethylcarbamoyl group,
Tylcarbamoyl group, phenylcarbamoyl group, methoxy
Groups such as a phenylcarbamoyl group), carbamoyloxy
Si group (for example, urethane group, methylcarbamoyloxy
Group, diethylcarbamoyloxy group, dibutylcarbamo
Yloxy group, phenylcarbamoyloxy group, p-meth
Toxiphenylcarbamoyloxy group, p-cyanofe
Groups such as nilcarbamoyloxy group), carboxyl group,
Imido group, amino group (R¹²The same as the amino group represented by
), Carbonamido group (for example, acetamido
Group, propionamide group, trifluoroacetamide
Group, benzamide group, p-methoxybenzamide group, p
-Groups such as chlorobenzamide groups), sulfonamide groups
(For example, methanesulfonamido group, butanesulfonamido
Group, trifluoromethanesulfonamide group, benzene
Sulfonamide group, p-toluenesulfonamide group, p
-Groups such as chlorobenzenesulfonamide groups), ureido
Groups (eg ureido, methylureide, diethyl
Raid group, dibutyl ureide group, phenyl ureide group,
p-methoxyphenylureido group, p-cyanophenyl
Ureido group, etc.), thioureido group (for example, thiouree
Id group, methylthioureido group, diethylthioureide
Group, dibutylthioureido group, phenylthioureido
Group, p-methoxyphenylthioureido group, p-cyano
Groups such as phenylthioureido), sulfamoylamido
Groups (for example, sulfamoylamino group, methylsulfa
Moylamino group, ethylsulfamoylamino group, butyric
Rusulfamoylamino group, diethylsulfamoylua
Mino group, dibutylsulfamoylamino group, phenyls
Rufamoylamino group, p-methoxyphenylthioure
Groups such as an id group and a p-cyanophenylthioureido group),
Semicarbazide group (methyl semicarbazide group, ethyl
Groups such as micarbazide group and phenylsemicarbazide group),
Thiosemicarbazide group (methylthiosemicarbazide group,
Ethylthiosemicarbazide group, phenylthiosemicarba
Hydrazino group, quaternary ammonium group
(Groups such as trimethylammonio group and pyridinio group),
(Alkyl, aryl, or heterocycle) thio group (this
The following alkyl and aryl are represented by R11.
Synonymous with alkyl and aryl groups in
Group, (alkyl or aryl) sulfonyl group,
(Alkyl or aryl) sulfinyl group, (alkyl
Or aryl) sulfonyluureido group, (alk
Or aryl) sulfonylcarbamoyl group, (A
Alkyl or aryl) sulfamoyl group, etc.
Acylsulfamoyl group (acetylsulfamoyl group,
Propionyl sulfamoyl group, benzoyl sulfamo
Groups such as an yl group), a sulfo group, a halogen atom, a cyano group,
Examples include a nitro group and a phosphoric amide group. R¹¹¹,
R¹¹²And R¹¹³Are preferably both substituted or
Or an unsubstituted phenyl group, more preferably
R¹¹¹, R¹¹²And R¹¹³Are unsubstituted phenyl
Group. X, R¹², A¹And A^TwoIs the general formula (N2)
Is synonymous with R¹²Is preferably pyridyloxy
A thienyloxy group. A¹, A^TwoAs preferred
Kuha A¹, A^TwoBoth are hydrogen atoms.

Next, the compound represented by formula (N3) will be described.

[0115]

[Of 60]

In the formula, R ²¹ represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, aryl group or heteroaryl group. R ²²
Represents a hydrogen atom, an alkylamino group, an arylamino group, or a heterocyclic amino group. A ¹ and A ^{2 each} represent a hydrogen atom or one of them represents a hydrogen atom and the other represents an alkylsulfonyl group, an oxalyl group or an acyl group.

R ²¹ is a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group,
Represents an aryl group or a heteroaryl group, and specific examples of the alkyl group include a methyl group, an ethyl group, and a tert-
Examples thereof include a butyl group, a 2-octyl group, a cyclohexyl group, a benzyl group and a diphenylmethyl group. Specific examples of the aryl group and the heteroaryl group include R ¹¹¹ , R
It is the same as those for ¹¹² and R ^113. Also, R ²¹
As a specific example of the substituent when has a substituent,
The same substituents as R ¹¹¹ , R ¹¹² and R ¹¹³ can be mentioned. R ²¹ is preferably an aryl group or a heteroaryl group, and particularly preferably a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group.

R ²² represents hydrogen, an alkylamino group, an arylamino group, or a heterocyclic amino group. Specific examples of the alkylamino group include a methylamino group, an ethylamino group, a propylamino group, a butylamino group, a dimethylamino group. Examples include an amino group, a diethylamino group, and an ethylmethylamino group. Examples of the arylamino group include an anilino group, and examples of the heterocyclic amino group include a thiazolylamino group, a benzimidazolylamino group, and a benzthiazolylamino group. Preferably the R ²² is dimethylamino group or diethylamino group. A ^1, A ² are the same as A ^1, A ² as described in the general formula (N2).

Next, the compound represented by formula (N4) will be described.

[0120]

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In the formula, G ³¹ and G ³² represent a — (CO) p- group,
C (= S)-, sulfonyl group, sulfoxy group, -P (=
O) represents an R ³³ -group or an iminomethylene group, p represents an integer of 1 or 2, and R ³³ represents an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, an alkenyloxy group, an alkynyloxy group, an aryl group. Represents an oxy group or an amino group. R ³¹ and R ³² represent an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an aryl group, a heteroaryl group, an alkoxy group, an alkenyloxy group, an aryloxy group, a heterocyclic oxy group, an alkylthio group, an alkenylthio group, an arylthio group, and a heterocyclic thio group. Represent. However, when G ³¹ is a sulfonyl group, G ³² is not a carbonyl group. A ¹ , A ²
Represents a hydrogen atom or one of them represents a hydrogen atom and the other represents an alkylsulfonyl group, an oxalyl group or an acyl group.

R ³¹ and R ³² are an alkyl group (having the same meaning as the alkyl group represented by R ¹² ), an alkenyl group (having the same meaning as the alkenyl group represented by R ¹² ), and an aryl group (having the same meaning as R ¹² ). A heteroaryl group (has the same meaning as the heteroaryl group represented by R ¹¹¹ ),
An alkoxy group (has the same meaning as the alkoxy group listed as a substituent for R ¹¹¹ ), an alkenyloxy group (the alkenyl has the same meaning as that represented by R ¹² ), an aryloxy group (as a substituent for R ¹¹¹ ) A heterocyclic oxy group (having the same meaning as the heterocyclic group mentioned above as the substituent for R ¹¹ ), an alkylthio group (having the same meaning as the above-described aryloxy group) Is the same as the alkyl group mentioned as the substituent for R ¹¹ ), the alkenylthio group (the alkenyl group herein is the same as the alkenyl group mentioned as the substituent for R ¹² ), the arylthio group (here, as the aryl group is synonymous with the aryl groups listed as the substituents for R ^11), a heterocyclic thio group (hetero ring in this case As represents a heterocyclic group is as defined above) listed as the substituents of R ^11. Preferably, it is an aryl group or an alkoxy group. Particularly preferred are those in which at least one of R ³¹ and R ³² is a tert-butoxy group. Another preferred structure is that when R ³¹ is a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, R ³² is a tert-butoxy group.
Butoxy group.

G³¹, G³²Is a-(CO) p- group, -C (=
S)-, a sulfonyl group, a sulfoxy group, -P (= O) R
³³-Or an iminomethylene group, p is 1 or 2
Represents an integer of R³³Is an alkyl group (the alkyl here)
R group¹¹Alkyl groups mentioned as substituents of
), Alkenyl group (alkenyl here)
R group¹²Alkenyl as a substituent of
Group), alkynyl group (here, alkynyl group)
As the nyl group, R¹¹¹Alkyl as a substituent of
An aryl group)
R group is R¹¹Aryl as a substituent of
Group), alkoxy group (here, alcohol
R is a xy group¹¹¹Alcohol as a substituent of
Xy group), alkenyloxy group (herein
The alkenyl group is R¹²As a substituent of
Alkenyl group), alkynyloxy group
(Here, the alkynyl group is R¹¹¹And the substituent
Has the same meaning as the alkynyl group mentioned above), aryl
An oxy group (where the aryloxy group is R
¹¹¹Has the same meaning as the aryloxy group mentioned as a substituent for
), An amino group (R^{1 Two}A mentioned as a substituent of
Synonymous with Nino group). Where G³¹Is sulfonyl
When the group, G³²Is not a carbonyl group. G³¹, G³²When
And preferably a -CO- group, a -COCO- group,
Or -CS-, more preferably -C
O-groups or sulfonyl groups with respect to each other. A¹, A^TwoHaichi
A described in general formula (N2)¹, A^TwoIs the same as

Next, the compound represented by formula (N5) will be described.

[0125]

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In the formula, R ⁴¹ represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent substituent, and A ¹ and A ² both represent a hydrogen atom or one of them is a hydrogen atom and the other represents an alkylsulfonyl group, an oxalyl group or an acyl group.

R ⁴¹ represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent substituent, and examples of the monovalent substituent include R ¹¹¹ , R ¹¹² and R ¹¹³
Examples of the substituent include, but preferably, an alkyl group, an aryl group, a heteroaryl group, an alkoxy group, and an amino group. More preferably, R
⁴¹ is an aryl group or a heteroaryl group. A ¹ ,
A ² is the same as A ¹ and A ² described in formula (N2).

Next, the compound represented by formula (N6) will be described.

[0129]

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In the formula, R ⁵¹ , R ⁵² and R ⁵³ each independently represent a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group or heteroaryl group. R ⁵⁴ and R ⁵⁵ represent an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group. A ¹ and A ^{2 each} represent a hydrogen atom or one of them represents a hydrogen atom and the other represents an alkylsulfonyl group, an oxalyl group or an acyl group.

R⁵¹, R⁵²And R⁵³Is the general formula (N2A)
R in¹¹¹, R¹¹²And R¹¹³Is synonymous with
R⁵¹, R⁵²And R⁵³Are preferably both substituted
Or an unsubstituted phenyl group, more preferably R
⁵¹, R⁵²And R⁵³Is an unsubstituted phenyl group
is there. R⁵⁴, R⁵⁵Represents an unsubstituted or substituted alkyl group
However, specific examples include a methyl group, an ethyl group,
t-butyl group, 2-octyl group, cyclohexyl group,
And a diphenyl group and a diphenylmethyl group. R ⁵⁴,
R⁵⁵Are preferably ethyl groups. A¹, A^Two
Is A described in the general formula (N2)¹, A^TwoIs the same as

Formulas (N2), (N3), (N4),
Specific examples of the compound represented by (N5) or (N6) include the following compounds.

[0133]

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[0134]

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[0135]

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[0136]

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[0137]

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[0138]

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[0139]

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[0140]

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[0141]

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[0142]

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[0143]

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Further, as the compound of the present invention, compounds represented by the following formulas (M1) and (M2) are preferably used.

The compound represented by formula (M1) will be described.

[0146]

[Of 75]

In the general formula (M1), Z represents an alkyl group [a linear, branched, or cyclic substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group. They are an alkyl group (preferably having 1 to 30 carbon atoms).
Alkyl group such as methyl group, ethyl group, n-propyl group, isopropyl group, tert-butyl group, n-octyl group, eicosyl group, 2-chloroethyl group, 2-cyanoethyl group, 2-ethylhexyl group, trichloromethyl group , A trifluoromethyl group), a cycloalkyl group (preferably a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group having 3 to 30 carbon atoms, for example, a cyclohexyl group, a cyclopentyl group, a 4-n-dodecylcyclohexyl group), a bicycloalkyl group ( Preferably, a substituted or unsubstituted bicycloalkyl group having 5 to 30 carbon atoms, that is, 5 to 30 carbon atoms.
Is a monovalent group obtained by removing one hydrogen atom from a bicycloalkane. For example, a bicyclo [1,2,2] heptan-2-yl group, a bicyclo [2,2,2] octane-3-
Yl group), and a tricyclo structure having many ring structures. An aryl group (preferably a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, such as a phenyl group, a p-tolyl group, a naphthyl group, an m-chlorophenyl group, o or m or a p-methanesulfonylphenyl group; , 5-bistrifluoromethyl group, o-hexadecanoylaminophenyl group), a heterocyclic group (preferably a 5- or 6-membered substituted or unsubstituted aromatic or non-aromatic heterocyclic compound, and one hydrogen atom Is a monovalent group from which is more preferably 3 to 4 carbon atoms.
30 5- or 6-membered aromatic heterocyclic groups. For example, it represents a 2-furyl group, a 2-thienyl group, a 2-pyrimidinyl group, or a 2-benzothiazolyl group).

Z is preferably an alkyl group or an aryl group, and particularly preferably an aryl group.

Z may be further substituted with another substituent. Examples of the substituent include a halogen atom, an alkyl group (including a cycloalkyl group and a bicycloalkyl group) and an alkenyl group (a cycloalkenyl group and a bicycloalkenyl group). Alkynyl group, aryl group, heterocyclic group, cyano group, hydroxyl group, nitro group, carboxyl group, alkoxy group, aryloxy group, silyloxy group, heterocyclic oxy group, acyloxy group, carbamoyloxy group,
Alkoxycarbonyloxy group, aryloxycarbonyloxy, amino group (including anilino group), acylamino group, aminocarbonylamino group, alkoxycarbonylamino group, aryloxycarbonylamino group, sulfamoylamino group, alkyl and arylsulfonylamino group A, mercapto group, alkylthio group, arylthio group, heterocyclic thio group, sulfamoyl group, sulfo group, alkyl and arylsulfinyl group, alkyl and arylsulfonyl group, acyl group, aryloxycarbonyl group, alkoxycarbonyl group, carbamoyl group, aryl and Examples include a heterocyclic azo group, an imide group, a phosphino group, a phosphinyl group, a phosphinyloxy group, a phosphinylamino group, and a silyl group.
Particularly preferred substituents are an alkyl group, an alkoxy group and an alkylamino group.

In the general formula (M1), W represents an aryl group or an alkyl group substituted with an electron-withdrawing group.

The aryl group represented by W has the same meaning as the aryl group described above for Z. The aryl group may be further substituted with another substituent.
Has the same meaning as the substituent. The aryl group represented by W is preferably substituted by at least one electron-withdrawing group. The electron-withdrawing group is a substituent whose Hammett's substituent constant σp can take a positive value, specifically, a cyano group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, a carbamoyl group, an imino group. An imino group substituted with an N atom, a thiocarbonyl group, a sulfamoyl group, an alkylsulfonyl group, an arylsulfonyl group, a nitro group,
Halogen atom, perfluoroalkyl group, perfluoroalkaneamide group, sulfonamide group, acyl group, formyl group, phosphoryl group, carboxy group, sulfo group (or salt thereof), heterocyclic group, alkenyl group, alkynyl group, acyloxy group , An acylthio group, a sulfonyloxy group, or an aryl group substituted with these electron-withdrawing groups.

The alkyl group represented by W has the same meaning as the alkyl group described for Z above, but at least one or more electron-withdrawing groups must be substituted. The definition of the electron-withdrawing group is as described above.

W is preferably an alkyl group substituted with an electron-withdrawing group, more preferably an alkyl group substituted with a fluorine atom, and particularly preferably a trifluoromethyl group. W may combine with Z to form a cyclic structure.

In the general formula (M1), M represents a cation. For example, hydrogen ion, metal ion (for example, L
i, Na, K, Lb, Cs, Ca, Mg, Zn, Ag
And ammonium ions (eg, NH ₄ , tetramethylammonium, tetrabutylammonium, benzyltrimethylammonium, etc.). Preferably, they are a metal ion and an ammonium ion.

Next, the compound represented by formula (M2) will be described.

[0156]

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In the general formula (M2), X, Y and Z each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent. The substituents represented by X, Y and Z may be any groups as long as they do not adversely affect photographic performance. Preferred substituents are alkyl groups [linear, branched, cyclic substitution or non-substitution. Represents a substituted alkyl group. They include an alkyl group (preferably an alkyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, such as a methyl group, an ethyl group, an n-propyl group, an isopropyl group,
rt-butyl group, n-octyl group, eicosyl group, 2-
Chloroethyl group, 2-cyanoethyl group, 2-ethylhexyl group), cycloalkyl group (preferably having 3 to 3 carbon atoms)
30 substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl groups, for example,
A cyclohexyl group, a cyclopentyl group, a 4-n-dodecylcyclohexyl group), a bicycloalkyl group (preferably a substituted or unsubstituted bicycloalkyl group having 5 to 30 carbon atoms, that is, a hydrogen atom derived from a bicycloalkane having 5 to 30 carbon atoms) Is removed, for example, bicyclo [1,2,2] heptane-2-yl group, bicyclo [2,2,2] octan-3-yl group), and tricyclo having many ring structures It also includes structures and the like. An alkyl group (for example, an alkyl group of an alkylthio group) among the substituents described below also represents an alkyl group having such a concept. And an alkenyl group [which represents a linear, branched or cyclic substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group. They include an alkenyl group (preferably a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms such as a vinyl group, an allyl group, a prenyl group, a geranyl group, and an oleyl group), a cycloalkenyl group (preferably having a carbon number of 3 to 30). A substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkenyl group having from 30 to 30 carbon atoms, that is, a monovalent group obtained by removing one hydrogen atom from a cycloalkene having 3 to 30 carbon atoms, for example, a 2-cyclopenten-1-yl group, 2-cyclohexene -1-yl group), a bicycloalkenyl group (substituted or unsubstituted bicycloalkenyl group, preferably a substituted or unsubstituted bicycloalkenyl group having 5 to 30 carbon atoms, that is, a hydrogen atom of a bicycloalkene having one double bond) Is a monovalent group from which one is removed, for example, a bicyclo [2,2,1] hept-2-en-1-yl group, Cyclo [2,2,2] oct-2-en-4-
Yl group). An alkynyl group (preferably a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, for example, an ethynyl group, a propargyl group, a trimethylsilylethynyl group), an aryl group (preferably substituted or unsubstituted having 6 to 30 carbon atoms) Aryl groups such as phenyl, p-tolyl, naphthyl, m-chlorophenyl, o-hexadecanoylaminophenyl),
Heterocyclic group (preferably a monovalent group obtained by removing one hydrogen atom from a 5- or 6-membered substituted or unsubstituted aromatic or non-aromatic heterocyclic compound, more preferably 3 to 6 carbon atoms. A 30- or 5-membered aromatic heterocyclic group, for example, 2-furyl, 2-thienyl, 2-pyrimidinyl, 2-benzothiazolyl), hydroxyl, carboxyl, alkoxy (preferably A substituted or unsubstituted alkoxy group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, for example, methoxy group, ethoxy group, isopropoxy group, tert-butoxy group, n-octyloxy group, 2-methoxyethoxy group), aryloxy group (preferably Is a substituted or unsubstituted aryloxy group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, for example, phenoxy group, 2-methylphenoxy group, 4-t rt- butyl phenoxy group, 3
-Nitrophenoxy group, 2-tetradecanoylaminophenoxy group), silyloxy group (preferably having 3 carbon atoms)
To 20 silyloxy groups, for example, a trimethylsilyloxy group, a tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy group),
A heterocyclic oxy group (preferably a substituted or unsubstituted heterocyclic oxy group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, a 1-phenyltetrazol-5-oxy group, a 2-tetrahydropyranyloxy group), an amino group (preferably an amino group; Group, carbon number 1
To 30 substituted or unsubstituted alkylamino groups, substituted or unsubstituted anilino groups having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, for example, amino group, methylamino group, dimethylamino group, anilino group, N-methyl-anilino group, diphenyl An amino group), a sulfo group, an alkyl and arylsulfonyl group (preferably a substituted or unsubstituted alkylsulfonyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted arylsulfonyl group having 6 to 30 carbon atoms, for example, a methylsulfonyl group, Ethylsulfonyl group, phenylsulfonyl group, p-methylphenylsulfonyl group), acyl group (preferably formyl group, substituted or unsubstituted alkylcarbonyl group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, substituted or unsubstituted having 7 to 30 carbon atoms) An arylcarbonyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted carbon atom having 4 to 30 carbon atoms Heterocyclic carbonyl group attached to a Boniru group, such as an acetyl group, a pivaloyl group, 2
-Chloroacetyl group, stearoyl group, benzoyl group,
pn-octyloxyphenylcarbonyl group, 2-pyridylcarbonyl group, 2-furylcarbonyl group), carbamoyl group (preferably substituted or unsubstituted carbamoyl group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms, for example, carbamoyl group,
N-methylcarbamoyl group, N, N-dimethylcarbamoyl group, N, N-di-n-octylcarbamoyl group, N
-(Methylsulfonyl) carbamoyl group). X and Y in the general formula (M2) are more preferably an alkyl group, an aryl group, a hydroxy group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group or an amino group, and particularly preferably an alkyl group. Z in the general formula (M2) is more preferably an alkyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group;
Particularly preferred is an aryl group.

In the formula (M2), a preferable combination of X, Y and Z is that X and Y are an alkyl group and Z is an aryl group.

X, Y and Z may be further substituted with other substituents, and any substituent may be used as long as it does not adversely affect photographic performance. For example, halogen atom, alkyl group (including cycloalkyl group and bicycloalkyl group), alkenyl group (including cycloalkenyl group and bicycloalkenyl group), alkynyl group, aryl group, heterocyclic group, cyano group, hydroxyl group, nitro group Group, carboxyl group, alkoxy group, aryloxy group, silyloxy group, heterocyclic oxy group, acyloxy group, carbamoyloxy group, alkoxycarbonyloxy group, aryloxycarbonyloxy, amino group (including anilino group), acylamino group, amino Carbonylamino group, alkoxycarbonylamino group, aryloxycarbonylamino group, sulfamoylamino group, alkyl and arylsulfonylamino group, mercapto group, alkylthio group, arylthio group, heterocyclic thio group, Famoiru group, a sulfo group,
Alkyl and aryl sulfinyl groups, alkyl and aryl sulfonyl groups, acyl groups, aryloxycarbonyl groups, alkoxycarbonyl groups, carbamoyl groups, aryl and heterocyclic azo groups, imide groups, phosphino groups, phosphinyl groups, phosphinyloxy groups, phos A finylamino group and a silyl group are exemplified. The substituent Z is preferably substituted with an electron-withdrawing group. The electron-withdrawing group is a substituent whose Hammett's substituent constant σp can take a positive value. Re
v. 1991, 91, 165-195, a specific example is described.

X, Y and Z may be the same or different from each other, and may be bonded to each other to form a ring structure.

In the general formula (M2), M has the same meaning as M in the general formula (1).

The compounds represented by the general formulas (M1) and (M2) used in the present invention have a pKa value of 3.0 to 4.0 of the conjugate acid in the enolate anion part of the partial structure.
Is more preferable, and it is especially preferable that it is 3.2 to 3.7. The pKa value here is a value measured by a conventional method in a mixed solvent system of THF / water = 3/2.

The compounds represented by formulas (M1) and (M2) used in the present invention may further incorporate the following groups. These groups may be incorporated into any of the substitutable sites of the compound represented by formula (M1) or (M2), or as a part of X, Y, Z and W. It may be incorporated.

The compounds represented by formulas (M1) and (M2) used in the present invention may have incorporated therein an adsorptive group that adsorbs to silver halide. Examples of such an adsorptive group include U.S. Pat. JP-A-59-19
Nos. 5233 and 59-200231 and 59
JP-201045, JP-A-59-201046,
JP-A-59-201047, JP-A-59-201048, JP-A-59-201049, and JP-A-61-17.
Nos. 0733, 61-270744, 62
-948, 63-234244, 63
And the groups described in JP-A-234245 and JP-A-63-234246. These adsorbing groups to silver halide may be precursors. Examples of such a precursor include groups described in JP-A-2-285344.

The compounds represented by formulas (M1) and (M2) used in the present invention incorporate therein a ballast group or a polymer commonly used in immobile photographic additives such as couplers. It may be what you have. In particular, those incorporating a ballast group are one of preferred examples of the present invention. The ballast group is a group having 8 or more carbon atoms and relatively inactive to photographic properties, for example, an alkyl group, an aralkyl group, an alkoxy group, a phenyl group,
It can be selected from an alkylphenyl group, a phenoxy group, an alkylphenoxy group and the like. Examples of the polymer include those described in JP-A-1-100530.

The compounds represented by the general formulas (M1) and (M2) used in the present invention contain a cationic group (specifically, a group containing a quaternary ammonium group,
A nitrogen-containing heterocyclic group containing a graded nitrogen atom), a group containing a repeating unit of an ethyleneoxy group or a propyleneoxy group, (alkyl, aryl, or heterocycle)
It may contain a thio group or a dissociable group that can be dissociated by a base (carboxy group, sulfo group, acylsulfamoyl group, carbamoylsulfamoyl group, etc.). Particularly, a group containing a group containing a repeating unit of an ethyleneoxy group or a propyleneoxy group or a group containing an (alkyl, aryl, or heterocyclic) thio group is one of preferred examples of the present invention. Specific examples of these groups include, for example, JP-A-7-234471,
333466, JP-A-6-19032, JP-A-6-19031, JP-A-5-45761, U.S. Pat. No. 4,994,365, U.S. Pat.
8604, JP-A-73-259240,
Compounds described in JP-A-7-5610, JP-A-7-244348, German Patent 4006032, and the like are included.

The general formulas (M1) and (M2) of the present invention
Is preferably 50 to 100.
00, more preferably from 100 to 2,000, particularly preferably from 300 to 1,000.

Specific examples of the compound represented by formula (M1) include the following compounds.

[0169]

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Specific examples of the compound represented by formula (M2) include the following compounds.

[0171]

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[0172]

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[0173]

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The compounds of the present invention can be prepared from water or a suitable organic solvent such as alcohols (methanol, ethanol, propanol, fluorinated alcohol), ketones (acetone, methyl ethyl ketone), dimethyl It can be used by dissolving it in formamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, methylcellosolve and the like. In addition, an oil such as dibutyl phthalate, tricresyl phosphate, glyceryl triacetate or diethyl phthalate, or an auxiliary solvent such as ethyl acetate or cyclohexanone is dissolved by a well-known emulsification dispersion method. Then, an emulsified dispersion can be prepared and used mechanically. Alternatively, the powder of the compound of the present invention can be dispersed in a suitable solvent such as water using a ball mill, a colloid mill, or ultrasonic waves by a method known as a solid dispersion method.

The compound of the present invention may be used alone,
More than one species may be used in combination. The compound of the present invention may be added to any layer on the image forming layer side with respect to the support,
It is preferably added to the image forming layer or a layer adjacent thereto. The addition amount of the compound of the present invention is preferably 1 × 10 ⁻⁶ to 1 mol per 1 mol of silver, and 1 × 10 ^{−5 to} 5 ×.
10 ^-1 mol is more preferred, and 2 x 10 ^-5 to 2 x 10 ^-1.
mol is most preferred.

The compound represented by formula (T) used in the present invention will be described in detail. Wherein, R ¹ represents a hydrogen atom, -OM ^2, at least one alkyl group substituted with at least one containing radicals hetero atom or an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an acyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl Group, acyloxy group, acylamino group, alkoxycarbonylamino group,
Aryloxycarbonylamino, alkoxycarbonyloxy, aryloxycarbonyloxy, sulfonylamino, sulfamoyl, carbamoyl, alkylthio, arylthio, amino, sulfonyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyloxy, ureido, silyl Represents an aryl group substituted with at least one group selected from a group, a mercapto group, a hydroxy group, a nitroso group, a sulfo group, a carboxyl group, a phosphate group, a heterocyclic group, and a halogenoalkyl group, or a heterocyclic group. When R ¹ is —OM ² , specific examples of the cation represented by M ¹ and M ² include, for example, an alkali metal ion (such as a lithium ion, a sodium ion, a potassium ion, and a cesium ion), and an alkaline earth metal ion. (Magnesium Emissions, such as calcium ions), ammonium (ammonium, trimethylammonium,
Triethylammonium, tetramethylammonium,
Tetraethylammonium, tetrabutylammonium, 1,2-ethanediammonium, etc.), pyridinium, imidazolium, phosphonium (such as tetrabutylphosphonium). M ¹ and M ² are preferably a hydrogen atom or an alkali metal ion, and more preferably a hydrogen atom.

When R ¹ is an alkyl group substituted with a group containing at least one hetero atom, a specific example of the group containing at least one hetero atom is an amino group (preferably having 0 to 0 carbon atoms). 20, more preferably 0 to 10 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 0 to 6 carbon atoms, for example, an amino group, a methylamino group, a dimethylamino group, a diethylamino group, a dibenzylamino group, etc.), an alkoxy group ( Preferably it has 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and particularly preferably 1 to 1 carbon atoms.
8, for example, a methoxy group, an ethoxy group, a butoxy group and the like), an aryloxy group (preferably having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably having 6 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably having 6 to 12 carbon atoms). Phenyloxy group, 2-naphthyloxy group, etc.), acyl group (preferably having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 1 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms, for example, acetyl Group, benzoyl group, formyl group, pivaloyl group, etc.), alkoxycarbonyl group (preferably having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably having 2 to 1 carbon atoms).
6, particularly preferably 2 to 12 carbon atoms, for example, methoxycarbonyl group, ethoxycarbonyl group and the like), aryloxycarbonyl group (preferably 7 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 7 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly It preferably has 7 to 10 carbon atoms, for example, a phenyloxycarbonyl group and the like), an acyloxy group (preferably 2 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 2 to 1 carbon atoms)
6, particularly preferably 2 to 10 carbon atoms, for example, an acetoxy group, a benzoyloxy group and the like), an acylamino group (preferably 2 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 2 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably carbon atom An acetylamino group, a benzoylamino group, etc.), an alkoxycarbonylamino group (preferably having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably having 2 to 1 carbon atoms).
6, particularly preferably having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, for example, a methoxycarbonylamino group and the like, and an aryloxycarbonylamino group (preferably having 7 to 2 carbon atoms).
0, more preferably 7 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 7 to 12 carbon atoms, for example, a phenyloxycarbonylamino group and the like, a sulfonylamino group (preferably 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably carbon Numbers 1-1
6, particularly preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms, for example, methanesulfonylamino group, benzenesulfonylamino group and the like), sulfamoyl group (preferably 0 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 0 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly It preferably has 0 to 12 carbon atoms, for example, a sulfamoyl group, a methylsulfamoyl group, a dimethylsulfamoyl group, a phenylsulfamoyl group and the like, and a carbamoyl group (preferably 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably Has 1 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms, for example, a carbamoyl group, a methylcarbamoyl group,
A diethylcarbamoyl group, a phenylcarbamoyl group and the like), an alkylthio group (preferably having 1 carbon atom).
To 20, more preferably 1 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms, such as a methylthio group and an ethylthio group, and an arylthio group (preferably 6 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably A number of 6 to 16, particularly preferably a carbon number of 6 to 12, for example, a phenylthio group and the like; a sulfonyl group (preferably having a carbon number of 1 to 20, more preferably a carbon number of 1 to 16, particularly preferably a carbon number) 1-12, for example, a mesyl group, a tosyl group, etc.), a sulfinyl group (preferably 1-20 carbon atoms, more preferably 1-16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 1-12 carbon atoms, A methanesulfinyl group, a benzenesulfinyl group, etc.), a ureido group (preferably having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 1 to 1 carbon atoms). , Particularly preferably 1-1 carbon atoms
2, for example, a ureido group, a methylureide group, a phenylureide group and the like), a phosphoric acid amide group (preferably having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably having 1 carbon atom)
To 16, particularly preferably having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, such as a diethylphosphoramide group and a phenylphosphoramide group, a hydroxy group, a mercapto group, and a halogen atom (eg, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom) , Iodine atom), cyano group, sulfo group, carboxyl group, nitro group, hydroxamic acid group, sulfino group, hydrazino group, heterocyclic group (for example, imidazolyl group, pyridyl group,
A furyl group, a piperidyl group, and a morpholino group).

When R ¹ is an alkyl group substituted with a group containing at least one hetero atom, the alkyl group preferably has 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and particularly preferably It is a number 1 to 8, and examples thereof include a methyl group, an ethyl group, an isopropyl group, a tert-butyl group, an n-octyl group, an n-decyl group, an n-hexadecyl group, a cyclopropyl group, a cyclopentyl group, and a cyclohexyl group. .

R ¹ is an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group,
Acyl group, alkoxycarbonyl group, aryloxycarbonyl group, acyloxy group, acylamino group, alkoxycarbonylamino group, aryloxycarbonylamino group, alkoxycarbonyloxy group, aryloxycarbonyloxy group, sulfonylamino group, sulfamoyl group, carbamoyl group, Alkylthio group, arylthio group, amino group, sulfonyl group, sulfinyl group, sulfonyloxy group, ureido group, silyl group, mercapto group, hydroxy group, nitroso group, sulfo group, carboxyl group, phosphate group, heterocyclic group, halogeno In the case of an aryl group substituted with at least one group selected from an alkyl group, specific examples of the substituent include an alkoxy group (preferably having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and particularly preferably Properly is 1 to 8 carbon atoms, such as methoxy group, ethoxy group, butoxy group), an aryloxy group (preferably having 6 to 20 carbon atoms,
More preferably, it has 6 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 6 to 12 carbon atoms, such as a phenyloxy group and a 2-naphthyloxy group, and an acyl group (preferably 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably It has 1 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms, for example, an acetyl group,
Benzoyl group, formyl group, pivaloyl group and the like), alkoxycarbonyl group (preferably having 2 carbon atoms)
-20, more preferably 2-16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 2-12 carbon atoms, for example, methoxycarbonyl group, ethoxycarbonyl group and the like), aryloxycarbonyl group (preferably 7-20 carbon atoms, More preferably, it has 7 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 7 carbon atoms.
10 to 10, for example, a phenyloxycarbonyl group and the like), an acyloxy group (preferably having 2 carbon atoms).
-20, more preferably 2-16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 2-10 carbon atoms, for example, an acetoxy group, a benzoyloxy group and the like), an acylamino group (preferably 2-20 carbon atoms, more preferably 2 to 1 carbon atoms
6, particularly preferably 2 to 10 carbon atoms, for example, acetylamino group, benzoylamino group and the like), alkoxycarbonylamino group (preferably 2 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 2 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly It preferably has 2 to 12 carbon atoms, for example, a methoxycarbonylamino group and the like, and an aryloxycarbonylamino group (preferably 7 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 7 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 7 to 7 carbon atoms) To 12, for example, a phenyloxycarbonylamino group, etc.), an alkoxycarbonyloxy group (preferably having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably having 2 to 16 carbon atoms,
Particularly preferably, it has 2 to 12 carbon atoms, and examples thereof include an ethoxycarbonyloxy group and the like, and an aryloxycarbonyloxy group (preferably 7 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 7 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably carbon number). 7
To 12, for example, a phenyloxycarbonyloxy group and the like), a sulfonylamino group (preferably having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, A methanesulfonylamino group, a benzenesulfonylamino group, etc.), a sulfamoyl group (preferably having 0 to 0 carbon atoms)
20, more preferably 0 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 0 to 12 carbon atoms, such as sulfamoyl, methylsulfamoyl, dimethylsulfamoyl, phenylsulfamoyl and the like), carbamoyl Group (preferably having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 1 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and examples thereof include a carbamoyl group, a methylcarbamoyl group, a diethylcarbamoyl group, and a phenylcarbamoyl group) An alkylthio group (preferably having 1 to 20 carbon atoms,
More preferably, it has 1 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms, such as a methylthio group and an ethylthio group, and an arylthio group (preferably 6 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 6 to 16 carbon atoms). 16, particularly preferably having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, such as a phenylthio group, etc.), and an amino group (preferably having 0 to 2 carbon atoms).
0, more preferably 0 to 10 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 0 to 6 carbon atoms, for example, an amino group, a methylamino group,
Examples include a dimethylamino group, a diethylamino group, a dibenzylamino group, and the like. ), A sulfonyl group (preferably having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and examples thereof include a mesyl group and a tosyl group), and a sulfinyl group (preferably It has 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 1 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms, such as a methanesulfinyl group and a benzenesulfinyl group, and a sulfonyloxy group (preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms). 2
0, more preferably 1 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms, for example, a mesyloxy group, a tosyloxy group and the like; a ureido group (preferably 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 1 to 20 carbon atoms) 1 to 16, particularly preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms, for example, a ureido group, a methyl ureide group, a phenyl ureide group and the like, a silyl group (preferably 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably 1 to 1 carbon atoms) 16, particularly preferably 1 to 12 carbon atoms
And a phosphate group (preferably having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, particularly preferably having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, for example, a diethyl phosphate ester group). , A phenyl phosphate group, etc.), a heterocyclic group (for example, an imidazolyl group, a pyridyl group, a furyl group, a piperidyl group, a morpholino group, etc.), a halogenoalkyl group (for example, a chloromethyl group, a dibromomethyl group, Trifluoromethyl group and the like).

R ¹ is an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group,
Acyl group, alkoxycarbonyl group, aryloxycarbonyl group, acyloxy group, acylamino group, alkoxycarbonylamino group, aryloxycarbonylamino group, alkoxycarbonyloxy group, aryloxycarbonyloxy group, sulfonylamino group, sulfamoyl group, carbamoyl group, Alkylthio group, arylthio group, amino group, sulfonyl group, sulfinyl group, sulfonyloxy group, ureido group, silyl group, mercapto group, hydroxy group, nitroso group, sulfo group, carboxyl group, phosphate group, heterocyclic group, halogeno When the aryl group is substituted with at least one group selected from alkyl groups, the substituted aryl group preferably has 6 to 30 carbon atoms, more preferably 6 to 20 carbon atoms,
Particularly preferably, it has 6 to 12 carbon atoms, and examples thereof include a phenyl group, a p-methylphenyl group, and a naphthyl group.

R ¹ is an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group,
An aryl group substituted with at least one group selected from an acyl group, an acylamino group, and a sulfonyl group is preferable. When R ¹ is a heterocyclic group, preferably, an imidazolyl group, a pyridyl group, a furyl group, a piperidyl group, a morpholino group and the like are mentioned.

L represents a linking group, preferably an alkylene group, an arylene group, or a heterocyclic group, more preferably an arylene group, and particularly preferably an orthophenylene group among the arylene groups.

M represents an integer of 0 to 5, and m is preferably 0 or 1. More preferably, m is 0. n represents an integer of 1 to 3, and n is preferably 1. m is 0
And when m is 1 and R ¹ is —OH, L is a halogen atom, an acyloxy group, an acylamino group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxycarbonyl group, a formyl group, an aryloxycarbonylamino group, an alkoxycarbonyloxy group , Aryloxycarbonyloxy, sulfonylamino, sulfamoyl, carbamoyl, amino, sulfonyl, sulfinyl, sulfonyloxy, ureido, silyl, mercapto, hydroxy, nitroso, sulfo, phosphoric acid It represents a linking group substituted with 1 to 3 groups selected from an ester group and a heterocyclic group. Specific examples of the above-mentioned substituent are the same as the above-mentioned substituent when R ¹ is an aryl group.

When m and n are 1, L is preferably an orthophenylene group or an alkylene group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms. When m is 0 and n is 1, L is preferably a halogen atom, an acyloxy group, an aryloxycarbonylamino group or an aryloxycarbonyloxy group, and more preferably phenylene substituted by one with a halogen atom or sulfonyloxy. Group.

When R ¹ is —OM ² , L is preferably an alkylene group, a phenylene group or a hetero group.

Specific examples of the compound represented by formula (T) include the following compounds, but the compounds that can be used in the present invention are not limited thereto.

[0187]

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[0188]

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[0189]

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[0190]

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[0191]

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[0192]

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[0193]

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[0194]

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[0195]

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[0196]

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As the compound represented by formula (T) of the present invention, commercially available compounds can be used.
Chem. Pharm. Bulletin, 31 (8), 2632 (1983), J. Chem. S
oc., Section B Physical Organic Chemistry, Part1.p
p.145-148 (1971), J. Amer.Chem. Soc. 77, 1909 (195
5), Org. Prep. Proced. Int. 28 (5), 609 (1996), Chem.
Ber. 44, 1236 (1911), J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 60, 250
2 (1938), Bull.Soc.Khim.Fr. 25 (3) 173 (1901), Chem.
Abstr. 9861 (1960), DE 297018, Justus LiebigsAnn.
It can also be synthesized according to the method described in Chem. 300 299 (1898).

The amount of the compound represented by the general formula (T) of the present invention is not particularly limited, but may be from 10 ^-4 mol to 1 mol.
1 / Agmol is preferable, and especially 10 ⁻³ mol to 0.3
mol / Agmol is preferred.

The compound represented by formula (T) of the present invention can be added to a photosensitive layer or a non-photosensitive layer, and is preferably a photosensitive layer. As a typical embodiment, in a photothermographic material having at least one photosensitive layer and a layer adjacent thereto on a support, the photosensitive layer contains a photosensitive silver halide, an organic silver salt, and a binder, An embodiment containing at least one compound represented by the general formula (T), a photosensitive layer containing a photosensitive silver halide, an organic silver salt, and a binder, and an adjacent layer containing at least the compound represented by the general formula (T). An embodiment containing one kind, wherein the photosensitive layer contains a photosensitive silver halide and a binder, and further has a general formula (T)
An embodiment containing an organic silver salt in an adjacent layer, containing a photosensitive silver halide and a binder in a photosensitive layer, and containing an organic silver salt in an adjacent layer,
Further, an embodiment containing at least one compound represented by the general formula (T) is exemplified. In the present invention, the preferred embodiment is described.

In the photothermographic material of the present invention, an acid or a salt thereof formed by hydration of diphosphorus pentoxide is preferably used in combination with the compound of the present invention. Acids or salts thereof formed by hydration of diphosphorus pentoxide include metaphosphoric acid (salt), pyrophosphoric acid (salt), orthophosphoric acid (salt), triphosphoric acid (salt), tetraphosphoric acid (salt), hexametaline Acids (salts) and the like can be mentioned. Particularly preferred acids and salts thereof formed by hydration of diphosphorus pentoxide include orthophosphoric acid (salt) and hexametaphosphoric acid (salt). Specific salts include sodium orthophosphate, sodium dihydrogen orthophosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, ammonium hexametaphosphate and the like. The acid or salt thereof formed by hydration of diphosphorus pentoxide, which can be preferably used in the present invention, is added to the image forming layer or the binder layer adjacent thereto in that the desired effect is exhibited in a small amount. The amount of acid or salt thereof formed by hydration of diphosphorus pentoxide (1 m ^{2 of} photosensitive material)
The coating amount per) is may be desired amount depending on the performance such as sensitivity and fog, preferably ^{0.1~500mg / m 2, 0.5~100mg / m} 2 is more preferable.

The organic silver salt which can be used in the present invention includes:
Relatively stable to light, but forms a silver image when heated to 80 ° C. or higher in the presence of an exposed photocatalyst (such as a latent image of photosensitive silver halide) and a reducing agent It is a silver salt. The organic silver salt can be any organic material including a source of reducible silver ions. Silver salts of organic acids, particularly silver salts of long-chain fatty carboxylic acids (preferably having 10 to 30 carbon atoms, more preferably 15 to 28 carbon atoms) are preferred. Also preferred are organic or inorganic silver salt complexes in which the ligand has a complex stability constant in the range of 4.0 to 10.0.
The silver donor material can preferably comprise about 5 to 70% by weight of the imaging layer. As a preferred organic silver salt,
A silver salt of an organic compound having a carboxyl group can be mentioned. Specific examples thereof include silver salts of aliphatic carboxylic acids and silver salts of aromatic carboxylic acids, but are not limited thereto. Preferred examples of the silver salt of an aliphatic carboxylic acid include silver behenate, silver arachidate,
Silver stearate, silver oleate, silver laurate, silver caproate, silver myristate, silver palmitate, silver maleate, silver fumarate, silver tartrate, silver linoleate, silver butyrate and silver camphorate, mixtures thereof, etc. Can be mentioned.

In the present invention, in the above-mentioned organic silver salt or a mixture of the organic silver salts, a silver behenate content of 75 m
ol% or more of organic acid silver, more preferably 85% by mole or more of silver behenate. Here, the content of silver behenate indicates the mole fraction of silver behenate with respect to the organic acid silver used. As the organic acid silver other than silver behenate contained in the organic acid silver used in the present invention, the above-mentioned exemplified organic acid silver can be preferably used.

The organic silver salt preferably used in the present invention is
It is prepared by reacting silver nitrate with a solution or suspension of the above-mentioned alkali metal salt of an organic acid (including Na salt, K salt, Li salt and the like). These preparation methods are described in JP-A-2000-292882, paragraph number 00.
19 to 0021 can be used.

In the present invention, a method of preparing an organic silver salt by adding an aqueous solution of silver nitrate and a solution of an alkali metal salt of an organic acid to a sealing means for mixing a liquid can be preferably used. Specifically, JP-A-200
The method described in 1-333907 can be used. In the present invention, a water-soluble dispersant can be added to the aqueous silver nitrate solution and the organic acid alkali metal salt solution or the reaction solution during the preparation of the organic acid silver.
Specific examples of the type and amount of the dispersant used here are described in JP-A-2000-305214, paragraph 0052.

The organic acid silver used in the present invention is preferably prepared in the presence of a tertiary alcohol. As the tertiary alcohol, compounds having a total carbon number of 15 or less are preferable, and compounds having a total carbon number of 10 or less are particularly preferable. Examples of preferred tertiary alcohols include tert-butanol and the like,
The tertiary alcohol that can be used in the present invention is not limited to this. The timing of adding the tertiary alcohol used in the present invention may be any timing at the time of preparing the organic acid silver,
It is preferable to add and dissolve the organic acid alkali metal salt during the preparation of the organic acid alkali metal salt. The tertiary alcohol used in the present invention can be used in a weight ratio of 0.01 to 10 with respect to water as a solvent at the time of preparing the silver salt of an organic acid. It is preferred to use.

The organic silver salt used in the present invention is a fine particle satisfying all of the following conditions (1) to (4). The photothermographic material of the present invention contains organic silver salt fine particles satisfying all of the conditions (1) to (4) (hereinafter referred to as “organic silver salt fine particles of the present invention”). (1) Average sphere equivalent diameter is 0.1 μm to 0.8 μm (2) Average of long side / short side in main plane is 1 to 4 (3) Average aspect ratio is 2 to 30 (4) Average thickness is 0 The organic silver salt fine particles of the present invention are generally known as behenic acid particles, for example, published in Marcel Dekker 1991, edited by ASDiamond, Handbook of Imaging Materia.
ls Clearly acicular particles having a short axis and a long axis as described in FIG.
This is different from the particles having no selective growth direction as described in Japanese Patent No. 27643.

The sphere equivalent diameter of the organic silver salt fine particles of the present invention is 0.3.
It is 1 μm to 0.8 μm, and preferably 0.1 μm to 0.6 μm. According to the study of the present inventors, there is an optimum particle size range for the particle size of the organic silver salt, and in order to achieve both storage stability and light transmittance, the equivalent spherical diameter is 0.1 μm or more.
It became clear that it was necessary to be 0.8 μm. The behenic acid particles described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-127643 have a very small particle size, and as a result, the present inventors have confirmed that they are not suitable for practical use. Furthermore, the organic silver salt fine particles of the present invention grow anisotropically in two-dimensional directions and are different from the particles described in JP-A-9-127463, which specifies that the fine particles have no selective growth direction. is there.

The average of the long side / short side on the main plane of the organic silver salt fine particles of the present invention is 1 to 4, preferably 1 to 3, and particularly preferably 1 to 2. In this specification, “long side” refers to the longest length in the main plane, and “short side” refers to the longest length orthogonal to the long side. The average of the particle aspect ratio (particle size (equivalent circle diameter) / particle thickness of the main plane) / particle thickness is 2 to 30;
It is preferably from 15 to 15. Further, the average of the thickness of the particles is 0.01 μm to 0.20 μm, and 0.01 μm to 0.2 μm.
It is preferably 0.15 μm.

The organic silver salt used in the present invention is preferably desalted. The desalting method is not particularly limited, and known methods can be used, but centrifugal filtration, suction filtration,
Known filtration methods such as ultrafiltration and floc-forming water washing by a coagulation method can be preferably used. As a method for ultrafiltration, a method described in JP-A-2000-305214 can be used.

In the present invention, in order to obtain a solid dispersion of an organic silver salt having a high S / N, a small particle size and no aggregation, an organic silver salt as an image forming medium and a photosensitive silver salt are substantially contained. It is preferable to use a dispersion method in which a water dispersion liquid which is not included in the liquid is converted into a high-speed stream and then the pressure is reduced. As for these dispersing methods, the methods described in paragraphs 0027 to 0038 of JP-A-2000-292882 can be used. The particle size distribution of the organic silver salt solid fine particle dispersion used in the present invention is preferably monodispersed. Specifically, the percentage (coefficient of variation) of the value obtained by dividing the standard deviation of the volume load average diameter by the volume load average diameter is 80% or less, more preferably 50% or less, and still more preferably 30% or less.

The organic silver salt solid fine particle dispersion used in the present invention comprises at least an organic silver salt and water. The ratio between the organic silver salt and water is not particularly limited, but the ratio of the organic silver salt to the whole is preferably 5 to 50% by mass, and particularly preferably 10 to 30% by mass.
It is preferable to use the above-mentioned dispersing aid, but it is preferable to use the dispersing aid in a minimum amount within a range suitable for minimizing the particle size.
A range of 15% by mass is preferred. The organic silver salt used in the present invention can be used in a desired amount.
m ² is preferred, and more preferably 1 to 3 g / m ² .

In the present invention, it is preferable to add a metal ion selected from Ca, Mg, Zn and Ag to the non-photosensitive organic silver salt. Regarding addition of metal ions selected from Ca, Mg, Zn and Ag to the non-photosensitive organic silver salt,
It is preferably added in the form of a water-soluble metal salt which is not a halide, and specifically, it is preferably added in the form of a nitrate or a sulfate. The addition of a halide is not preferable because it deteriorates the image storability of the processed photosensitive material due to light (such as room light or sunlight), that is, the so-called printout property. For this reason, in the present invention, it is preferable to add in the form of a water-soluble metal salt which is not a halide.

Ca, Mg, Zn preferably used in the present invention
The addition time of the metal ion selected from Ag and Ag may be any time after the formation of the particles of the non-photosensitive organic silver salt and immediately before the coating, such as immediately after the formation of the particles, before the dispersion, after the dispersion and before and after the preparation of the coating solution. It may be during the period, preferably after dispersion and before and after preparation of the coating solution. Ca, M in the present invention
The addition amount of the metal ion selected from g, Zn and Ag is 10 ⁻³ to 10 ⁻¹ per 1 mol of non-photosensitive organic silver.
mol is preferable, and particularly 5 × 10 ^{−3 to} 5 × 10 ⁻² mol.
Is preferred.

The photosensitive silver halide used in the present invention is not particularly limited as a halogen composition, and may be silver chloride, silver chlorobromide,
Silver bromide, silver iodobromide, silver iodochlorobromide can be used. The grain formation of the photosensitive silver halide emulsion is described in paragraphs 0217 to 0217 of JP-A-11-119374.
The particles can be formed by the method described in H.224, but are not particularly limited to this method. The shapes of silver halide grains are cubic, octahedral, tetradecahedral,
Tabular, spherical, rod-like, potato-like and the like can be mentioned, and in the present invention, cubic particles or tabular particles are particularly preferable. The characteristics of the particle shape such as the particle aspect ratio and the surface index are described in JP-A-11-119374.
It is the same as that described in Paragraph No. 0225 of the publication. The distribution of the halogen composition may be uniform inside and on the surface of the silver halide grains, and the halogen composition may be changed stepwise or may be changed continuously. Further, silver halide grains having a core / shell structure can be preferably used. As the structure, core / shell particles having preferably a 2- to 5-layer structure, more preferably a 2- to 4-layer structure, can be used. A technique for localizing silver bromide on the surface of silver chloride or silver chlorobromide grains can also be preferably used.

The size of the silver halide grains of the photosensitive silver halide used in the present invention can be used without any particular limitation.
1 to 0.10μ is preferred. In the particle size distribution of the silver halide grains used in the present invention, the value of monodispersity is 30% or less, preferably 1 to 20%, and more preferably 5 to 15%. Here, the monodispersity is defined as a percentage (%) (coefficient of variation) of a value obtained by dividing the standard deviation of the particle size by the average particle size. The size of the silver halide grains is, for convenience,
In the case of a cubic particle, it is represented by a ridge length, and other particles (octahedron, tetradecahedron, flat plate, etc.) are calculated by a projected area circle equivalent diameter.

The photosensitive silver halide grains used in the present invention contain a metal or a metal complex of Group VII or VIII of the periodic table. Rhodium, rhenium, ruthenium, osnium and iridium are preferred as the metal of Group VII or VIII of the periodic table or the central metal of the metal complex. Particularly preferred metal complexes are (N
H ₄ ) ₃ Rh (H ₂ O) Cl ₅ , K ₂ Ru (NO) Cl ₅ , K
₃ IrCl ₆ and K ₄ Fe (CN) ₆ . One type of these metal complexes may be used, or two or more types of complexes of the same metal and different metals may be used in combination. Preferred content is 1 mol of silver
Is preferably in the range of 1 × 10 ⁻⁹ mol to 1 × 10 ⁻³ mol, more preferably in the range of 1 × 10 ⁻⁸ mol to 1 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol. As a specific structure of the metal complex, a metal complex having a structure described in JP-A-7-225449 or the like can be used. The types and addition methods of these heavy metals are described in paragraphs 0227 to 0240 of JP-A-11-119374.

The photosensitive silver halide grains can be desalted by a water washing method known in the art such as a noodle method or a flocculation method, but in the present invention, it may or may not be desalted. . The photosensitive silver halide emulsion used in the present invention is preferably chemically sensitized. The chemical sensitization is described in paragraph No. 02 of JP-A-11-119374.
It is preferable to use the methods described in JP-A Nos. 42-0250. A thiosulfonic acid compound may be added to the silver halide emulsion used in the present invention by a method described in European Patent Publication EP 293,917A.

As the gelatin contained in the photosensitive silver halide used in the present invention, low-molecular-weight gelatin is used in order to maintain a good dispersion state of the photosensitive silver halide emulsion in an organic silver salt-containing coating solution. Is preferred. The low molecular weight gelatin has a molecular weight of 500 to 60,000, preferably 1,000 to 40,000. These low molecular weight gelatins may be used at the time of particle formation or at the time of dispersion after desalting, but are preferably used at the time of dispersion after desalting. When forming particles, use normal gelatin (molecular weight of about 100,000),
Low-molecular-weight gelatin may be used at the time of dispersion after desalting.

The concentration of the dispersion medium can be 0.05 to 20% by mass, but a concentration range of 5 to 15% by mass is preferable for handling. As the type of gelatin, alkali-treated gelatin is usually used, and in addition, acid-treated gelatin,
Modified gelatin such as phthalated gelatin can also be used.

As the silver halide emulsion in the light-sensitive material used in the present invention, only one kind may be used, or two or more kinds may be used (for example, those having different average grain sizes, different halogen compositions, different crystal habits). And those having different chemical sensitization conditions).

The photosensitive silver halide used in the present invention is preferably used in an amount of 0.01 to 0.5 mol, more preferably 0.02 to 1 mol of the organic silver salt.
mol to 0.3 mol, more preferably 0.03 mol
~ 0.25 mol is particularly preferred. About the mixing method and mixing conditions of the separately prepared photosensitive silver halide and organic silver salt, the silver halide particles and the organic silver salt which have been respectively prepared are mixed with a high-speed stirrer, a ball mill, a sand mill, a colloid mill, a vibration mill, There is a method of mixing with a homogenizer or the like, or a method of preparing an organic silver salt by mixing photosensitive silver halide prepared at any timing during the preparation of the organic silver salt. There is no particular limitation as long as it is sufficiently obtained. In addition, mixing two or more kinds of aqueous dispersions of organic silver salts and two or more kinds of aqueous dispersions of photosensitive silver salts is a preferable method for adjusting photographic characteristics.

Sensitizing dyes that can be used in the present invention are those capable of spectrally sensitizing silver halide grains in a desired wavelength region when adsorbed on silver halide grains, and are suitable for the spectral characteristics of an exposure light source. Sensitizing dyes having spectral sensitivity can be advantageously selected. For example, 550 nm to 750 n
As a dye for spectrally sensitizing a wavelength region of m
And dyes represented by the general formula (II) of JP-A-186572, specifically, II-6, II-7, II-14, and II-.
Dyes 15, II-18, II-23 and II-25 can be exemplified as preferred dyes. Also, 750 to 14
Dyes that spectrally sensitize the wavelength region of 00 nm include dyes represented by the general formula (I) in JP-A-11-119374, and specifically, (25), (26), and (3)
0), (32), (36), (37), (41), (4)
The dyes of 9) and (54) can be exemplified as preferred dyes. Further, as a dye for forming a J-band, U.S. Pat.
The dyes described in Example 5 of JP-A-871,887 and the dyes disclosed in JP-A-2-96131 and JP-A-59-48753 can be exemplified as preferred dyes. These sensitizing dyes may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

These sensitizing dyes can be added by the method described in paragraph No. 0106 of JP-A-11-119374, but it is not particularly limited to this method. The addition amount of the sensitizing dye in the present invention can be a desired amount in accordance with the sensitivity and the performance of fogging, but is preferably 10 ^{-6 to} 1 mol, more preferably 1 to 1 mol per mol of silver halide in the photosensitive layer.
0 ^-4 to 10 ^-1 mol.

In the present invention, in order to improve spectral sensitization efficiency,
Supersensitizers can be used. Examples of the supersensitizer used in the present invention include compounds disclosed in European Patent Publication No. EP587,338A, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,877,943 and 4,873,184.
Examples thereof include a compound selected from a heteroaromatic or aliphatic mercapto compound, a heteroaromatic disulfide compound, stilbene, hydrazine, and triazine. Particularly preferred supersensitizers include heteroaromatic mercapto compounds and heteroaromatic disulfide compounds disclosed in JP-A-5-341432, and general formula (I) or (II) in JP-A-4-182639. A stilbene compound represented by the general formula (I) in JP-A-10-111543, and a compound represented by the general formula (I) in JP-A-11-109547. Specifically, compounds of M-1 to M-24 in JP-A-5-341432 and d-1) to d-1 in JP-A-4-18239A are disclosed.
Compound 4), SS described in JP-A-10-111543
-01 to SS-07, JP-A-11-10954
No. 7, 31, 32, 37, 38, 41-45, 51
~ 53 compounds. The addition amount of these supersensitizers is preferably in the range of 10 ^{-4 to} 1 mol per mol of silver halide in the image forming layer (emulsion layer), and in the range of 0.001 to 0.3 mol per mol of silver halide. Is more preferred.

The photothermographic material of the present invention contains a reducing agent for an organic silver salt. The reducing agent for the organic silver salt is any substance that reduces silver ions to metallic silver, preferably an organic substance. Conventional photographic developers such as phenidone, hydroquinone and catechol are useful, but hindered phenol reducing agents are preferred. The reducing agent is preferably contained in an amount of 5 to 50 mol%, more preferably 10 to 40 mol%, per 1 mol of silver on the surface having the image forming layer. The layer to which the reducing agent is added may be any layer on the image forming layer side with respect to the support. When added to a layer other than the image forming layer, 10 to 50 mol% based on 1 mol of silver
It is preferable to use a relatively large amount. Further, the reducing agent may be a so-called precursor which is derivatized so as to function effectively only during development.

In a photothermographic material utilizing an organic silver salt, a wide range of reducing agents can be used. For example,
JP-A-46-6074, JP-A-47-1238, JP-A-47-33621, JP-A-49-46427, JP-A-49-115540, and JP-A-50-1433.
No. 4, No. 50-36110, No. 50-147
Nos. 711 and 51-32632 and 51-1
JP-A Nos. 023721, 51-32324, and 5
JP-A-51-933, JP-A-52-84727, JP-A-55-108654, JP-A-56-146133, JP-A-57-82828, JP-A-57-82829, JP-A-6-3793, U.S.A. Patent No. 3,67
9,426, 3,751,252, 3,751,255, 3,763
Nos. 1,270, 3,782,949, 3,839,048, 3,92
Use of reducing agents disclosed in 8,686, 5,464,738, German Patent 2,321,328, European Patent Publication EP 692,732A and the like. Can be. Amide oximes such as, for example, phenylamide oxime, 2-thienylamide oxime and p-phenoxyphenylamide oxime;
Azines such as, for example, 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde azine; aliphatic carboxylic acid arylhydrazides such as a combination of 2,2′-bis (hydroxymethyl) propionyl-β-phenylhydrazine and ascorbic acid and ascorbic acid A combination of polyhydroxybenzene and hydroxylamine, reductone and / or hydrazine (for example, a combination of hydroquinone and bis (ethoxyethyl) hydroxylamine, piperidinohexose reductone or formyl-4-methylphenylhydrazine, etc. ); Hydroxamic acids such as phenylhydroxamic acid, p-hydroxyphenylhydroxamic acid and β-alinine hydroxamic acid; combinations of azines with sulfonamidophenols (eg, phenothiazine 2,6-dichloro-4-benzenesulfonamidophenol); α-cyanophenylacetic acid derivatives such as ethyl-α-cyano-2-methylphenylacetate and ethyl-α-cyanophenylacetate; 2,2′-dihydroxy- 1,1′-binaphthyl, 6,6′-dibromo-2,2′-dihydroxy-
1,1′-Binaphthyl and bis (2-hydroxy-1
Bis-β-naphthol as exemplified by -naphthyl) methane; of bis-β-naphthol and 1,3-dihydroxybenzene derivatives (such as 2,4-dihydroxybenzophenone or 2 ′, 4′-dihydroxyacetophenone). 5-pyrazolone such as 3-methyl-1-phenyl-5-pyrazolone; dimethylaminohexose reductone, anhydrodihydroaminohexose reductone and anhydrodihydropiperidone hexose reductone, as exemplified in the combination; Reducton; 2,6
-Sulfonamide phenol reducing agents such as dichloro-4-benzenesulfonamidophenol and p-benzenesulfonamidophenol; 2-phenylindane-
1,2-dione and the like; 2,2-dimethyl-7-tert
Chromans such as -butyl-6-hydroxychroman;
2,6-dimethoxy-3,5-dicarbethoxy-1,
1,4-dihydropyridines such as 4-dihydropyridine; bisphenols (for example, bis (2-hydroxy-
3-tert-butyl-5-methylphenyl) methane,
2,2-bis (4-hydroxy-3-methylphenyl)
Propane, 4,4-ethylidene-bis (2-tert-
Butyl-6-methylphenol), 1,1, -bis (2
-Hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl) -3,5
5-trimethylhexane and 2,2-bis (3,5-
Dimethyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propane, etc.);
Ascorbic acid derivatives (eg, 1-ascorbyl palmitate, ascorbyl stearate, etc.); and aldehydes and ketones such as benzyl and biacetyl; 3-pyrazolidone and certain indane-1,3
Diones; chromanols (such as tocopherol); Particularly preferred reducing agents are bisphenol, chromanol.

In the present invention, the reducing agent may be added by any method such as an aqueous solution, an organic solvent solution, a powder, a solid fine particle dispersion and an emulsified dispersion. The dispersion of the solid fine particles is carried out by a known means for making fine (for example, a ball mill, a vibration ball mill, a sand mill, a colloid mill, a jet mill, a roller mill, etc.). When dispersing the solid fine particles, a dispersing aid may be used.

When an additive known as a “toning agent” for improving an image is included, the optical density may increase.
The toning agent may also be advantageous in forming a black silver image. The color tone agent is preferably contained in the layer on the image forming layer side of the support in an amount of 0.1 to 50% mol per 1 mol of silver, more preferably 0.5 to 20% mol. Further, the toning agent may be a so-called precursor which is derivatized so as to function effectively only during development. In a photothermographic material using an organic silver salt, a wide range of color toning agents can be used. For example, JP-A-46-6077 and JP-A-47-10282
No. 49-5019, No. 49-5020, No. 49-91215, No. 50-2524, No. 50-32927, No. 50-67132
Gazettes, JP-A-50-67641, and JP-A-50-1142
No. 17, No. 51-3223, No. 51-279
Nos. 23, 52-14788, 52-99
Nos. 813, 53-1020 and 53-76
Nos. 020, 54-156524 and 54-
Nos. 156525, 61-183642, JP-A-4-56848, JP-B-49-10727, JP-A-54-20333, and U.S. Pat.
0,254, 3,446,648, 3,782,941, 4,12
No. 3,282,4,510,236, British Patent No. 1,380,795, Belgian Patent No. 841,910, etc. may be used. it can. Specific examples of the toning agent include phthalimide and N-hydroxyphthalimide; succinimide, pyrazolin-5-one, and quinazolinone, 3-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one, 1-phenylurazole, quinazoline, and 2,4- Cyclic imides such as thiazolidinedione; naphthalimide (eg, N-hydroxy-1,8-naphthalimide); cobalt complex (eg, cobalt hexamine trifluoroacetate); 3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole; N- (aminomethyl), exemplified by 2,4-dimercaptopyrimidine, 3-mercapto-4,5-diphenyl-1,2,4-triazole and 2,5-dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole Aryldicarboximides (for example, (N, - dimethylaminomethyl) phthalimide and N, N- (dimethylaminomethyl) - naphthalene-2,3-dicarboximide); and blocked pyrazole, isothiuronium derivatives and certain photobleaching agents (e.g., N,
N'-hexamethylenebis (1-carbamoyl-3,5
-Dimethylpyrazole), 1,8- (3,6-diazaoctane) bis (isothiuronium trifluoroacetate) and 2- (tribromomethylsulfonyl) -benzothiazole; and 3-ethyl-5-[(3-ethyl -2-benzothiazolinylidene) -1-methylethylidene] -2-thio-2,4-oxazolidinedione; phthalazinone, a phthalazinone derivative or metal salt, or 4- (1-naphthyl) phthalazinone, 6-chlorophthalazinone , 5,7-dimethoxyphthalazinone and 2,
Derivatives such as 3-dihydro-1,4-phthalazinedione; combinations of phthalazinone and phthalic acid derivatives (eg, phthalic acid, 4-methylphthalic acid, 4-nitrophthalic acid and tetrachlorophthalic anhydride); phthalazine, phthalazine Derivatives (eg, 4- (1-naphthyl) phthalazine, 6-chlorophthalazine, 5,7-dimethoxyphthalazine, 6-isobutylphthalazine, 6-t
derivatives such as tert-butylphthalazine, 5,7-dimethylphthalazine, and 2,3-dihydrophthalazine)
Or a metal salt; phthalazine and its derivatives and phthalic acid derivatives (for example, phthalic acid, 4-methylphthalic acid,
Quinazolinedione, benzoxazine or naphthoxazine derivatives; not only as a color tone regulator but also as a source of halide ions for silver halide formation in situ Rhodium complexes such as ammonium hexachlororhodate (III), rhodium bromide,
Rhodium nitrate and potassium hexachlororhodate (III) and the like; inorganic peroxides and persulfates, for example, ammonium disulfide and hydrogen peroxide; 1,3-benzoxazine-2,4-dione, 8-methyl- 1,3
Benzoxazine-2,4-dione such as benzoxazine-2,4-dione and 6-nitro-1,3-benzoxazine-2,4-dione; pyrimidine and asymmetric-triazines (e.g. 2,4- Dihydroxypyrimidine, 2-hydroxy-4-aminopyrimidine, etc.),
Azauracil and tetraazapentalene derivatives (for example, 3,6-dimercapto-1,4-diphenyl-1
H, 4H-2,3a, 5,6a-tetraazapentalene and 1,4-di (o-chlorophenyl) -3,6
-Dimercapto-1H, 4H-2,3a, 5,6a-tetraazapentalene) and the like.

In the present invention, as a color tone agent, JP-A-2000-
Phthalazine derivatives represented by the general formula (F) described in JP-A-35631 are preferably used. Specifically, A-1 to A-10 described in the publication are preferably used.

The color tone agent may be added by any method such as a solution, a powder, and a solid fine particle dispersion. The dispersion of the solid fine particles is carried out by a known means for making fine (for example, a ball mill, a vibration ball mill, a sand mill, a colloid mill, a jet mill, a roller mill, etc.). When dispersing the solid fine particles, a dispersing aid may be used.

The surface pH of the photothermographic material of the present invention before the heat development processing is preferably 6.0 or less, more preferably 5.5 or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but is about 3. The adjustment of the film surface pH is preferably performed using an organic acid such as a phthalic acid derivative, a nonvolatile acid such as sulfuric acid, or a volatile base such as ammonia from the viewpoint of reducing the film surface pH. In particular, ammonia is preferable in achieving a low film surface pH since ammonia is easily volatilized and can be removed before the application step and the heat development. Note that the film surface p
The method for measuring H is described in paragraph No. 0123 of JP-A-2000-284399.

In the photothermographic material of the present invention, the silver halide emulsion and / or the organic silver salt may contain an antifoggant,
Stabilizers and stabilizer precursors can further protect against the formation of additional fog and stabilize against reduced sensitivity during storage in inventory. Suitable antifoggants, stabilizers and stabilizer precursors that can be used alone or in combination are described in US Pat. No. 2,131,03.
No. 8, No. 2,694,716, azaindenes described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,886,437 and 2,444,605, U.S. Pat. No. 2,728,663, mercury salts described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,135, urazole described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,287,135, U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,652.
Patent No. 62, UK Patent No. 62
Oxime, nitrone, nitroindazole described in US Pat. No. 3,448, polyvalent metal salt described in US Pat. No. 2,839,405, US Pat. No. 3,220,839.
No. 2,566,263 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,597,9.
15, palladium, platinum and gold salts; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,108,665 and 4,4;
No. 4,128,557 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,137,079 and 4,138,365.
And the phosphorus compounds described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,985.

The photothermographic material of the present invention may contain benzoic acids for the purpose of increasing the sensitivity and preventing fog. The benzoic acid used in the present invention may be any benzoic acid derivative, but a preferred example is described in US Pat.
No. 939, No. 4,152,160, JP-A-9-329863, JP-A-9-329864, and JP-A-9-281637. The benzoic acid may be added to any layer of the photothermographic material, but is preferably added to the layer on the image forming layer side with respect to the support, more preferably to the organic silver salt-containing layer. The addition of benzoic acids may be performed at any step in the preparation of the coating solution, and when the benzoic acid is added to the organic silver salt-containing layer, any step from the preparation of the organic silver salt to the preparation of the coating solution may be performed, but the coating is performed after the preparation of the organic silver salt. Immediately before is preferred.
The benzoic acid may be added by any method such as powder, solution, and fine particle dispersion. Further, it may be added as a solution mixed with other additives such as a sensitizing dye, a reducing agent, and a color tone agent. The benzoic acid may be added in any amount, but may be 1 × 10 ⁻⁶ mol to 2 mol per mol of silver.
1 is preferable, and 1 × 10 ⁻³ mol to 0.5 mol is more preferable.

Although not essential for practicing the present invention,
It may be advantageous to add a mercury (II) salt as an antifoggant to the image forming layer. Preferred mercury (II) salts for this purpose are mercury acetate and mercury bromide. The amount of mercury used in the present invention is 1 mol of silver applied.
1 × 10 ⁻⁹ mol to 1 × 10 ⁻³ mol per liter
l, more preferably 1 × 10 ⁻⁸ mol to 1 × 10 ⁻⁴ m
ol range.

The antifoggant particularly preferably used in the present invention is an organic halide.
No. 119624, No. 50-120328, No. 51-121332, No. 54-58022, No. 56-70543, No. 56-99335, No. 59-90842, No. 61-12964.
No. 2, JP-A-62-129845, JP-A-6-2
JP 08191, JP 7-5621, JP 7-27
No. 81, 8-15809, U.S. Pat.
Compounds disclosed in 340,712, 5,369,000, and 5,464,737 are exemplified. JP-A-2000-2843
The hydrophilic organic halide represented by the formula (P) described in JP-A-99-99 is preferably used as an antifoggant. Specifically, (P-1) to (P-11) described in the same specification
8) is preferably used. The amount of the organic halide to be added is a mol amount (mol / molA) relative to 1 mol of Ag.
g), preferably 1 × 10 ^{−5 to 2} mol / mo
lAg, more preferably 5 × 10 ^{-5 to} 1 mol / mol
Ag, more preferably 1 × 10 ^{-4 to} 5 × 10 ^-1 mol
/ MolAg. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

A salicylic acid derivative represented by the formula (Z) described in JP-A-2000-284399 is preferably used as an antifoggant. Specifically, (A-1) to (A-60) described in the same specification are preferably used. The amount of the salicylic acid derivative represented by the formula (Z) may be a molar amount (mol / molA) relative to 1 mol of Ag.
g), preferably 1 × 10 ^{-5 to} 5 × 10 ^-1 mo
1 / mol Ag, more preferably 5 × 10 ⁻⁵ to 1 × 10
⁻¹ mol / mol Ag, more preferably 1 × 10 ⁻⁴ to
It is 5 × 10 ^-2 mol / mol Ag. These may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

As the antifoggant preferably used in the present invention, formalin scavenger is effective. For example, the compound represented by the formula (S) described in JP-A-2000-221634 and its exemplified compound (S-
1) to (S-24).

The antifoggant used in the present invention may be water or a suitable organic solvent such as alcohols (methanol, methanol, etc.).
It can be used by dissolving in ethanol, propanol, fluorinated alcohol), ketones (acetone, methyl ethyl ketone), dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfoxide, methylcellosolve and the like. In addition, dibutyl phthalate,
Oils such as tricresyl phosphate, glyceryl triacetate or diethyl phthalate, dissolved using an auxiliary solvent such as ethyl acetate or cyclohexanone,
An emulsified dispersion can be prepared and used mechanically. Alternatively, the powder can be dispersed in water by a ball mill, a colloid mill, a sand grinder mill, a Menton-Gaulin, a microfluidizer or an ultrasonic wave by a method known as a solid dispersion method.

The antifoggant used in the present invention may be added to the layer on the image forming layer side with respect to the support, that is, the image forming layer or any other layer on the layer side. It is preferable to add it to an adjacent layer. The image forming layer is a layer containing a reducible silver salt (organic silver salt), and is preferably an image forming layer further containing a photosensitive silver halide.

The photothermographic material of the present invention may contain a mercapto compound, a disulfide compound, or a thione compound for the purpose of suppressing or accelerating the development to control the development, or improving the storage stability before and after the development. Can be. When a mercapto compound is used in the present invention, any structure may be used, but Ar-SM, Ar
Those represented by -SS-Ar are preferred. In the formula, M is a hydrogen atom or an alkali metal atom, and Ar is an aromatic ring or a condensed aromatic ring having one or more nitrogen, sulfur, oxygen, selenium or tellurium atoms. Preferably, the heteroaromatic ring is benzimidazole, naphthimidazole, benzothiazole, naphthothiazole, benzoxazole, naphthoxazole, benzoselenazole, benzotellurazole, imidazole, oxazole, pyrazole, triazole, thiadiazole, tetrazole, triazine, pyrimidine, pyridazine , Pyrazine, pyridine, purine, quinoline or quinazolinone. The heteroaromatic ring can be, for example, halogen (eg, Br and Cl), hydroxy, amino, carboxy, alkyl (eg, having one or more carbon atoms, preferably 1-4 carbon atoms), alkoxy ( For example, it may have a substituent selected from the group consisting of one or more carbon atoms, preferably those having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, and aryl (which may have a substituent). Good. Examples of the mercapto-substituted heteroaromatic compound include 2-mercaptobenzimidazole, 2-mercaptobenzoxazole, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 2-mercapto-5-methylbenzimidazole,
6-ethoxy-2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 2,
2'-dithiobis- (benzothiazole), 3-mercapto-1,2,4-triazole, 4,5-diphenyl-2-imidazolethiol, 2-mercaptoimidazole, 1-ethyl-2-mercaptobenzimidazole, 2- Mercaptoquinoline, 8-mercaptopurine,
2-mercapto-4 (3H) -quinazolinone, 7-trifluoromethyl-4-quinolinethiol, 2,3,5
6-tetrachloro-4-pyridinethiol, 4-amino-6-hydroxy-2-mercaptopyrimidine monohydrate, 2-amino-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole, 3-amino-5-mercapto- 1,2,
4-triazole, 4-hydrokilocy-2-mercaptopyrimidine, 2-mercaptopyrimidine, 4,6-diamino-2-mercaptopyrimidine, 2-mercapto-4-
Methyl pyrimidine hydrochloride, 3-mercapto-5
-Phenyl-1,2,4-triazole, 1-phenyl-5-mercaptotetrazole, sodium 3- (5-mercaptotetrazole) -benzenesulfonate, N-
Methyl-N '-{3- (5-mercaptotetrazolyl)
Examples include phenyl diurea and 2-mercapto-4-phenyloxazole, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The amount of the mercapto compound added is 0.0001 to 1.0 m per mol of silver in the image forming layer.
ol is preferable, and more preferably 1 mol of silver.
The amount is 0.001 to 0.3 mol per 1.

The photothermographic material of the present invention is provided on a support.
It is preferable to have an image forming layer containing an organic silver salt, a reducing agent and a photosensitive silver halide, and to provide at least one protective layer on the image forming layer. Further, the photothermographic material of the present invention preferably has at least one back layer on the side (back surface) opposite to the image forming layer with respect to the support, and the image forming layer, the protective layer, and the binder of the back layer As the polymer latex. By using a polymer latex for these layers, aqueous coating using a solvent (dispersion medium) containing water as a main component becomes possible, which is advantageous in terms of environment and cost, and causes wrinkles during thermal development. A heat-developable photosensitive material can be obtained. Further, by using a support which has been subjected to a predetermined heat treatment, a photothermographic material having a small dimensional change before and after thermal development can be obtained.

In the present invention, it is preferable to use a binder which provides good photographic performance and enables aqueous coating. As the main binder on the image forming layer side, specifically, it is preferable to use polymer latex or gelatin, and it is particularly preferable to use the polymer latex described below. Further, at least one of the image forming layers containing the photosensitive silver halide is preferably an image forming layer containing the polymer latex described below in an amount of 50% by mass or more, more preferably 70% by mass or more of the total binder. . Further, the polymer latex may be used not only for the image forming layer but also for the protective layer and the backing layer. It is preferable to use a polymer latex also for the layer. By using a polymer latex for these layers, aqueous coating using a solvent (dispersion medium) containing water as a main component becomes possible, which is advantageous in terms of environment and cost, and causes wrinkles during thermal development. No photothermographic material is obtained. Also,
By using a support which has been subjected to a predetermined heat treatment, a photothermographic material having small dimensional changes before and after thermal development can be obtained.

[0243] The "polymer latex" as used herein is a polymer in which a water-insoluble hydrophobic polymer is dispersed as fine particles in a water-soluble dispersion medium. The dispersion state is such that the polymer is emulsified in a dispersion medium, emulsion-polymerized, micelle-dispersed, or partially dispersed in polymer molecules and the molecular chains themselves are molecularly dispersed. Any of them may be used. The polymer latex used in the present invention is described in "Synthetic Resin Emulsion (Taira Okuda, edited by Hiroshi Inagaki, published by Kobunshi Kankokai (197
8))), "Applications of Synthetic Latex (Edited by Takaaki Sugimura, Yasuo Kataoka, Soichi Suzuki, Keiji Kasahara, Polymer Publishing Association (19)
93)) "," Synthesis of Synthetic Latex (Souichi Muroi, published by Kobunshi Kankokai (1970)) "and the like. The average particle size of the dispersed particles is preferably from 1 to 50,000 nm, more preferably from 5 to 1000 nm. There is no particular limitation on the particle size distribution of the dispersed particles, and they may have a broad particle size distribution or a monodispersed particle size distribution.

The polymer latex used in the present invention may be an ordinary polymer latex having a uniform structure,
It may be a so-called core / shell type latex.
In the case of the core / shell type, it is sometimes preferable that the core and the shell have different glass transition temperatures. In particular, a core / shell type latex in which the Tg of the core is higher than the Tg of the shell provides good film-forming properties.

The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the polymer latex preferably used for the binder used in the present invention differs between the protective layer, the back layer and the image forming layer. In the image forming layer, the temperature is preferably from -30 to 40 ° C. in order to promote diffusion of the photographically useful material during thermal development.
When used for the protective layer or the back layer, the temperature is preferably 25 to 100 ° C. in order to come into contact with various devices. The Tg of the polymer is described, for example, in "J. Brandrup, EHImmergut,"
ymer Handbook, 2nd Edition, III-139 to III-192 (197
5) ".

The minimum film forming temperature (MFT) of the polymer latex used in the present invention is preferably from -30 ° C to 90 ° C, more preferably from about 0 ° C to 70 ° C.
A film-forming aid may be added to control the minimum film-forming temperature. The film forming aid is an organic compound (usually an organic solvent) which is also called a plasticizer and lowers the minimum film forming temperature of the polymer latex. )"It is described in.

The polymer species used for the polymer latex of the image forming layer, protective layer and back layer of the present invention include acrylic resins, vinyl acetate resins, polyester resins,
Examples thereof include a polyurethane resin, a rubber-based resin, a vinyl chloride resin, a vinylidene chloride resin, a polyolefin resin, and a copolymer thereof. The polymer may be a linear polymer, a branched polymer, or a crosslinked polymer. The polymer may be a so-called homopolymer in which a single monomer is polymerized, or a copolymer in which two or more monomers are polymerized. In the case of a copolymer, it may be a random copolymer or a block copolymer. The molecular weight of the polymer is 5,000 in number average molecular weight.
0 to 1,000,000, preferably 10,000 to 1
About 00,000 is preferable. If the molecular weight is too small, the mechanical strength of the image forming layer is insufficient, and if it is too large, the film-forming property is poor, which is not preferable.

Specific examples of the polymer latex used as a binder for the image forming layer of the photothermographic material of the present invention include methyl methacrylate / ethyl acrylate / methacrylic acid copolymer latex, methyl methacrylate / butadiene / itaconic acid copolymer latex, Latex of ethyl acrylate / methacrylic acid copolymer, latex of methyl methacrylate / 2-ethylhexyl acrylate / styrene / acrylic acid copolymer, latex of styrene / butadiene / acrylic acid copolymer, latex of styrene / butadiene / divinylbenzene / methacrylic acid copolymer, methyl Latex of methacrylate / vinyl chloride / acrylic acid copolymer, vinylidene chloride / ethyl acrylate / acrylonitrile / Such as latex of methacrylic acid copolymers. More specifically, methyl methacrylate / ethyl acrylate / methacrylic acid = 33.5.
/50/16.5 (% by mass) copolymer latex,
Methyl methacrylate / butadiene / itaconic acid = 4
Examples thereof include a copolymer latex of 7.5 / 47.5 / 5 (% by mass) and a copolymer latex of ethyl acrylate / methacrylic acid = 95/5 (% by mass). Such polymers are also commercially available, for example, Sebian A-4635,465 as an example of an acrylic resin.
83, 4601 (all manufactured by Daicel Chemical Industries, Ltd.), N
ipol LX811, 814, 821, 820, 85
7 (all made by Nippon Zeon Co., Ltd.), VONCORT-R3
As polyester resins such as 340, R3360, R3370, 4280 (all manufactured by Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, Inc.), FINETEX ES650, 611, 675, 8
50 (all manufactured by Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, Inc.), WD-siz
e, polyurethane resins such as WMS (all manufactured by Eastman Chemical) include HYDRAN AP10, 20,
Rubber-based resins such as 30, 40 (all manufactured by Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, Inc.) include LACSTAR 7310K, 330
7B, 4700H, 7132C (all manufactured by Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, Inc.), Nipol LX410, 430, 43
5, 438C (manufactured by Nippon Zeon Co., Ltd.), vinyl chloride resins such as G351 and G576 (manufactured by Nippon Zeon Co., Ltd.), and vinylidene chloride resin, L50
2, L513 (all manufactured by Asahi Kasei Corporation), Aron D7
020, D504, D5071 (Mitsui Toatsu Co., Ltd.
Chemical Pearl S12 as an olefin resin
0, SA100 (all manufactured by Mitsui Petrochemical Co., Ltd.) and the like. These polymers may be used alone or as a blend of two or more as necessary.

A hydrophilic polymer such as gelatin, polyvinyl alcohol, methylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, or hydroxypropylmethylcellulose may be added to the image forming layer if necessary in a range of 50% by mass or less of the whole binder. . The addition amount of these hydrophilic polymers is preferably 30% by mass or less of the total binder in the image forming layer.
More preferably, the content is 5% by mass or less.

The image forming layer is preferably prepared by applying an aqueous coating solution and then drying. However, the term "aqueous" as used herein means that 60% by mass or more of the solvent (dispersion medium) of the coating liquid is water. As components other than water of the coating solution, water-miscible organic solvents such as methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, methyl cellosolve, ethyl cellosolve, dimethylformamide, and ethyl acetate can be used. Specific examples of the solvent composition include the following. Water / methanol = 90/10, water / methanol = 70/30, water / ethanol = 90/1
0, water / isopropanol = 90/10, water / dimethylformamide = 95/5, water / methanol / dimethylformamide = 80/15/5, water / methanol / dimethylformamide = 90/5/5 (however, figures are mass% Represents.)

Further, as a binder for a protective layer, JP-A-2000-267226, paragraphs [0025] to [0025]
A combination of polymer latexes having different I / O values obtained by dividing an inorganic value by an organic value based on the organic conceptual diagram described in 0029 can be preferably used.

In the present invention, if necessary,
Nos. 00-267226, Paragraph Nos. 0021-002
5 plasticizer (for example, benzyl alcohol, 2,
2,4-trimethylpentanediol-1,3-monoisobutyrate) can be added to control the film formation temperature. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-26722
As described in Paragraph Nos. 0027 to 0028 of JP-A-6, a hydrophilic polymer may be added to a polymer binder, and a water-miscible organic solvent may be added to a coating solution.

Each layer is described in JP-A-2000-196.
Use of a first polymer latex having a functional group introduced therein and a crosslinking agent having a functional group capable of reacting with the first polymer latex and / or a second polymer latex described in paragraph Nos. You can also. The functional group is a carboxyl group, a hydroxyl group, an isocyanate group, an epoxy group, an N-methylol group, an oxazolinyl group, and the like.As a crosslinking agent, an epoxy compound, an isocyanate compound, a blocked isocyanate compound, a methylol compound, a hydroxy compound, It is selected from a carboxyl compound, an amino compound, an ethyleneimine compound, an aldehyde compound, a halogen compound and the like. Specific examples of the cross-linking agent include hexamethylene isocyanate and duranate WB4 as isocyanate compounds.
0-80D, WX-1741 (manufactured by Asahi Kasei Corporation),
Bayhijur 3100 (Sumitomo Bayer Urethane Co., Ltd.)
Manufactured), Takenate WD725 (Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.)
Aquanate 100, 200 (manufactured by Nippon Polyurethane Co., Ltd.), water-dispersible polyisocyanate described in JP-A-9-160172; Sumitex Resin M-3 as an amino compound (manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) An epoxy compound such as Denacol EX-614B (manufactured by Nagase Kasei Kogyo Co., Ltd.); and a halogen compound such as sodium 2,4-dichloro-6-hydroxy-1,3,5-triazine.

The total amount of the binder for the image forming layer is from 0.2 to
Preferably ^{30g / m 2, 1.0~15g / m} 2 is more preferable. A crosslinking agent for crosslinking, a surfactant for improving coating properties, and the like may be added to the image forming layer. The total amount of the binder for the protective layer is preferably an amount that allows the thickness of the protective layer to be 3 μm or more, and specifically 1 to
Preferably ^{10.0g / m 2, 2~6.0g / m} 2 is more preferable. In the present invention, the thickness of the protective layer is preferably 3 μm or more, more preferably 4 μm or more. The upper limit of the thickness of the protective layer is not particularly limited, but is preferably 10 μm or less, more preferably 8 μm or less in consideration of coating and drying. Total amount of binder for the back layer is preferably ^{0.01~10.0g / m 2, 0.05~5.0g / m} 2 is more preferable.

In the present invention, each of these layers may be provided in two or more layers. When there are two or more image forming layers, it is preferable to use a polymer latex as a binder for all the layers. Further, the protective layer is a layer provided on the image forming layer and may be present in two or more layers.
Preferably, a polymer latex is used for at least one layer, particularly the outermost protective layer. The back layer is a layer provided on the undercoat layer on the back surface of the support.
Although there may be more than one layer, it is preferable to use a polymer latex for at least one layer, particularly the outermost back layer.

In the present invention, a slip agent can be used.
As used herein, the term "slip agent" refers to a compound capable of reducing the coefficient of friction of the surface of an object when present on the surface of the object as compared to the case where the agent is not present. The type is not particularly limited.

As the slipping agent used in the present invention, JP-A-1
Paragraph Nos. 0061 to 0064 of 1-84573,
Paragraph No. 0049 of JP-A-2001-83679
Compounds described in 0062 can be mentioned. Specific examples of preferred slip agents include Cellolsol 524 (main component carnauba wax), Polylon A, 393, H-481.
(Main component polyethylene wax), high micron G-1
10 (main component ethylene bisstearic acid amide), Himicron G-270 (main component stearic acid amide)
(Above, Chukyo Yushi Co.), etc. _{W-1 C 16 H 33 -O} -SO 3 Na W-2 C 18 H 37 -O-SO 3 Na and the like. The amount of the slip agent used is 0.1 to 50% by mass of the binder amount of the additive layer, preferably 0.5 to 50% by mass.
30% by mass.

When the photothermographic material of the present invention is thermally developed, JP-A-2000-171935 and JP-A-2001-171935
As described in JP-A-83679, the preheating section is conveyed by an opposing roller, and the heat development processing section is conveyed by driving the roller having the image forming layer on the side having the image forming layer and sliding the back surface on the opposite side to a smooth surface. When a thermal developing machine is used, the ratio of the coefficient of friction at the thermal development processing temperature between the outermost layer on the side having the image forming layer of the photothermographic material and the outermost layer on the back surface may be 1.5 or more. preferable. The upper limit of the friction coefficient ratio is not particularly limited, but is preferably about 30. The friction coefficient ratio can be determined by the following equation. Ratio of friction coefficient = dynamic friction coefficient (μe) between the roller member of the heat developing machine and the surface having the image forming layer / dynamic friction coefficient (μb) μb between the smooth surface member and the back surface of the heat developing machine is 1.0.
It is preferably not more than 0.05 and more preferably 0.05 to 0.8. In the present invention, the slipperiness of the outermost surface layer on the surface having the heat development processor member and the image forming layer at the heat development processing temperature and / or the opposite surface is determined by allowing the outermost surface layer to contain a slipping agent, It can be adjusted by changing.

On both sides of the support, see JP-A-64-2054.
4, JP-A-1-180537, JP-A-1-18037
No. 209443, JP-A-1-285939,
JP-A-1-296243, JP-A-2-24649
JP, JP-A-2-24648, JP-A-2-18-18
4844, JP-A-3-109545, JP-A-3-137637, JP-A-3-141346, JP-A-3-141347, JP-A-4-96
No. 055, U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,731, JP-A-4-68344, and Japanese Patent No. 2,557,
No. 641, page 2, right column, line 20 to page 3, right column, line 30;
Paragraph No. 0020 of JP-A-2000-39684
[0037] It is preferable to provide an undercoat layer containing a vinylidene chloride copolymer containing 70% by mass or more of a vinylidene chloride monomer repeating unit described in paragraphs [0063] to [0080] of JP-A-2001-83679.

When the amount of the vinylidene chloride monomer is less than 70% by mass, sufficient moisture-proof properties cannot be obtained, and the dimensional change over time after thermal development tends to increase. Further, the vinylidene chloride copolymer preferably contains a repeating unit of a carboxyl group-containing vinyl monomer as another constituent repeating unit of the vinylidene chloride monomer. When such a repeating unit is contained, the polymer (polymer) is crystallized only with the vinyl chloride monomer, and it becomes difficult to form a uniform film when the moisture-proof layer is applied, and the polymer ( This is because a carboxyl group-containing vinyl monomer is indispensable for the stabilization of the polymer). The weight average molecular weight of the vinylidene chloride copolymer used in the present invention is 45.0.
00, preferably 10,000 to 45,
000 is more preferable. When the molecular weight is increased, the adhesiveness between the vinylidene chloride copolymer layer and a support layer such as polyester tends to deteriorate.

The content of the vinylidene chloride copolymer used in the present invention is preferably 0.3 μm or more, and more preferably 0.3 μm to 4 μm Is more preferable.

The vinylidene chloride copolymer layer as the undercoat layer is preferably provided as the first undercoat layer directly provided on the support, and is usually provided one by one on each side. May be provided in two or more layers.
When a multilayer structure having two or more layers is used, the total amount of the vinylidene chloride copolymer is more preferably within the above range.
These layers may contain a crosslinking agent, a matting agent, and the like in addition to the vinylidene chloride copolymer.

If necessary, an undercoat layer using SBR, polyester, gelatin or the like as a binder may be coated on the support, in addition to the vinylidene chloride copolymer layer. These undercoat layers may have a multilayer structure or may be provided on one side or both sides of the support. The thickness (per layer) of the undercoat layer is generally from 0.01 to 5 μm, and more preferably from 0.05 to 1 μm.

Various supports can be used for the photothermographic material of the present invention. Typical supports include polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene naphthalate, cellulose nitrate, cellulose ester, polyvinyl acetal, syndiotactic polystyrene, polycarbonate, and paper supports coated on both sides with polyethylene. Can be Among them, biaxially stretched polyester, particularly polyethylene terephthalate, is preferred in terms of strength, dimensional stability, chemical resistance and the like. The thickness of the support is preferably 90 to 180 μm as a base thickness excluding the undercoat layer.

As the support for use in the photothermographic material of the present invention, JP-A-10-48772 and JP-A-10-87772
10676, JP-A-10-10677, JP-A-11-65025, JP-A-11-13864
No. 8, polyester which has been subjected to a heat treatment in a temperature range of 130 to 185 ° C. in order to alleviate internal strain remaining in the film at the time of biaxial stretching and eliminate heat shrinkage strain generated during thermal development processing. Particularly, polyethylene terephthalate is preferably used.

After the heat treatment, the support 12
The dimensional change rate by heating at 0 ° C. for 30 seconds is −0.03% to + 0.01% in the vertical direction (MD), and 0 in the horizontal direction (TD).
Preferably, it is 0.04%.

The photothermographic material of the present invention has been disclosed in JP-A-11-84573, paragraphs [0040] to [0051], for the purpose of reducing dust adhesion, preventing the occurrence of static marks, and preventing defective transport in the automatic transport step. Can be prevented by using the conductive metal oxide and / or the fluorine-based surfactant described in (1). As the conductive metal oxide, US Pat. No. 5,575,957, JP-A-11-22
Needle-like conductive tin oxide doped with antimony described in paragraphs 0012 to 0020 of JP-A-3901 and fibrous tin oxide doped with antimony described in JP-A-4-29134 are preferably used.

The surface specific resistance (surface resistivity) of the metal oxide-containing layer is preferably 10 ¹² Ω or less, more preferably 10 ¹¹ Ω or less, in an atmosphere at 25 ° C. and a relative humidity of 20%. Thereby, good antistatic properties can be obtained.
The lower limit of the surface resistivity at this time is not particularly limited, but is usually about 10 ⁷ Ω.

In the photothermographic material of the present invention, the Beck smoothness of at least one of the surface having the image forming layer and the surface of the outermost layer opposite to the surface is preferably 5000 seconds or less, more preferably 10 seconds or less. 2000 seconds. The Beck smoothness in the present invention is based on Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS).
It can be easily obtained according to P8119 “Method for testing smoothness of paper and paperboard with Beck tester” and TAPPI standard method T479. The Beck smoothness of the outermost layer on the surface having the image forming layer of the photothermographic material and the outermost layer on the opposite side are described in paragraph No. 00 of JP-A-11-84573.
As described in Nos. 52 to 0059, it can be controlled by appropriately changing the particle size and the amount of the matting agent contained in the layers on both surfaces.

In the present invention, a water-soluble polymer can be preferably used as a thickener for imparting coatability. The water-soluble polymer used in the present invention may be a natural product or a synthetic polymer, and the type thereof is not particularly limited. Specifically, as natural products, starches (corn starch, starch, etc.), seaweed (agar, sodium alginate, etc.), vegetable sticky substances (eg, gum arabic), animal proteins (eg, glue, casein, gelatin, egg white, etc.) And fermented sticky substances (such as pullulan and dextrin). Also, semi-synthetic polymers such as starch (soluble starch, carboxyl starch, dextran, etc.),
Cellulose (viscose, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, etc.) can also be used. Furthermore, as synthetic polymers, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, polyvinylpyrrolidone,
Polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol,
Maleic acid copolymer, maleic acid, such as polyvinyl ether, polyethylene imine, polystyrene sulfonic acid or its copolymer, polyvinyl sulfinic acid or its copolymer, polyacrylic acid or its copolymer, acrylic acid or its copolymer, etc. Monoester copolymers, acryloylmethylpropanesulfonic acid or copolymers thereof can be exemplified.

Among these, the water-soluble polymers preferably used include sodium alginate, gelatin, dextran, dextrin, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, Polystyrene sulfonic acid or its copolymer, polyacrylic acid or its copolymer, maleic acid monoester copolymer, acryloylmethylpropane sulfonic acid or its copolymer, and the like. These are particularly preferably used as thickeners.

Among them, particularly preferred thickeners are gelatin, dextran, methylcellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, polyvinyl alcohol, polyacrylamide, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polystyrenesulfonic acid or a copolymer thereof, polyacrylic acid or a copolymer thereof. And maleic acid monoester copolymer. These compounds are
It is described in detail in "Applications and Markets of New Water-Soluble Polymers" (published by CMC Corporation, edited by Shinji Nagatomo, issued on November 4, 1988).

The amount of the water-soluble polymer used as a thickener is not particularly limited as long as the viscosity increases when added to a coating solution. Generally, the concentration in the solution is preferably 0.01 to 30.
%, More preferably 0.05 to 20% by weight, particularly preferably 0.1 to 10% by weight. The viscosity obtained by these methods is 1 to 20 as an increase from the initial viscosity.
0 mPa · s is preferable, and more preferably 5 to 100 m
Pa · s. The viscosity was measured at 25 ° C using a B-type rotational viscometer.
The values measured in are shown. When adding to a coating solution or the like, it is generally desirable to add the thickener in a solution as dilute as possible. In addition, it is preferable to perform sufficient stirring during the addition.

The surfactant used in the present invention will be described below. Surfactants used in the present invention are classified into dispersants, coating agents, wetting agents, antistatic agents, photographic control agents, and the like according to the purpose of use. By doing so, those goals can be achieved. In the present invention, any of nonionic and ionic (anion, cation, betaine) surfactants can be used. Further, a fluorine-based surfactant is also preferably used.

Preferred nonionic surfactants include:
Polyoxyethylene, polyoxypropylene, polyoxybutylene, polyglycidyl and a surfactant having a nonionic hydrophilic group of sorbitan can be mentioned. Specifically, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether, polyoxyethylene alkyl phenyl ether Polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene glycol, polyhydric alcohol fatty acid partial ester, polyoxyethylene polyhydric alcohol fatty acid partial ester, polyoxyethylene fatty acid ester, polyglycerin fatty acid ester, fatty acid diethanolamide, and triethanolamine fatty acid partial ester. be able to.

Examples of the anionic surfactant include carboxylate, sulfate, sulfonate, and phosphate ester salt. Representative examples thereof include fatty acid salt, alkylbenzene sulfonate, and alkylnaphthalenesulfonic acid. Salt, alkyl sulfonate, α-olefin sulfonate, dialkyl sulfosuccinate, α-sulfonated fatty acid salt, N-methyl-N-oleyltaurine, petroleum sulfonate, alkyl sulfate, sulfated oil, polyoxy Examples include ethylene alkyl ether sulfate, polyoxyethylene alkyl phenyl ether sulfate, polyoxyethylene styrenated phenyl ether sulfate, alkyl phosphate, polyoxyethylene alkyl ether phosphate, and naphthalene sulfonate formaldehyde condensate. Can be.

As the cationic surfactant, an amine salt,
Examples thereof include quaternary ammonium salts and pyridium salts, and more specifically, primary to tertiary fatty amine salts and quaternary ammonium salts.
And quaternary ammonium salts (tetraalkylammonium salts, trialkylbenzylammonium salts, alkylpyridium salts, alkylimidazolium salts, and the like).

Examples of betaine-based surfactants include carboxybetaine and sulfobetaine.
-Trialkyl-N-carboxymethylammonium betaine, N-trialkyl-N-sulfoalkylammonium betaine and the like.

These surfactants are described in “Applications of Surfactants” (written by Koshobo and Takao Karimei, published on September 1, 1980).
It is described in. The amount of the surfactant used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and may be any amount as long as desired surfactant properties can be obtained. In addition, the coating amount of the fluorine-containing surfactant is preferably 0.01 mg to 250 mg per 1 m ² .

Specific examples of the surfactant are described below, but the surfactant that can be used in the present invention is not limited to these (here, -C ₆ H _4- represents a phenylene group). . _{WA-1: C 16 H 33} (OCH 2 CH 2) 10 OH WA-2: C 9 H 19 -C 6 H 4 - (OCH 2 CH 2) 12 OH WA-3: sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate WA-4 : Sodium tri (isopropyl) naphthalenesulfonate WA-5: sodium tri (isobutyl) naphthalenesulfonate WA-6: sodium dodecyl sulfate WA-7: α-sulfosuccinic acid di (2-ethylhexyl) ester sodium salt WA-8: C _{8 H 17 -C 6 H 4 -} (CH 2 CH 2 O) 3 (CH 2) 2 SO 3 K WA-10: cetyltrimethylammonium chloride _{WA-11: C 11 H 23} CONHCH 2 CH 2 N (+) ( CH ₃ ) ₂ -CH ₂ COO ^(-) WA-12: C ₈ F ₁₇ SO ₂ N (C ₃ H ₇ ) (CH ₂ CH ₂ O) ₁₆ H WA-13: C ₈ F ₁₇ SO ₂ N (C _{3 H 7) CH 2 COOK WA} -14: C 8 F 17 SO 3 K WA-15: C 8 F 17 SO 2 N (C 3 H 7) (CH 2 CH 2 O) 4 (CH 2) 4 SO 3 Na WA-16: C ₈ F ₁₇ SO ₂ N ( C ₃ H ₇ ) (CH ₂ ) ₃ OCH ₂ CH ₂ N ⁽⁺⁾ (C
H ₃ ) ₃ -CH ₃ · C ₆ H ₄ -SO ₃ ^(-) WA-17: C ₈ F ₁₇ SO ₂ N (C ₃ H ₇ ) CH ₂ CH ₂ CH ₂ N ⁽⁺⁾ (CH ₃ ) ₂ -C
H ₂ COO ^(-)

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an intermediate layer may be provided, if necessary, in addition to the image forming layer and the protective layer. For the purpose of improving productivity and the like, it is preferable that these multiple layers are simultaneously coated in an aqueous system. The coating method includes extrusion coating, slide bead coating, curtain coating, and the like.
The slide bead coating method shown in FIG.

In the case of a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material using gelatin as a main binder, the material is rapidly cooled in a first drying zone provided downstream of a coating die, and as a result, gelatinization of gelatin occurs and the coating film is cooled. Is solidified. The coating film that has been cooled and solidified and has stopped flowing is led to the subsequent second drying zone, where the solvent in the coating liquid is volatilized and formed into a film in the subsequent drying zone. As a drying method after the second drying zone, an air loop method in which a jet is blown from a U-shaped duct to a roller-supported support, or a support in which the support is wound around a cylindrical duct in a helical shape, and conveyed and dried. A fire method (air floating method) and the like can be mentioned.

When a layer is formed using a coating solution in which the main component of the binder is a polymer latex, the flow of the coating solution cannot be stopped by rapid cooling, so that the preliminary drying is insufficient only in the first drying zone. In some cases.
In this case, a drying method such as that used for a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material causes flow unevenness and drying unevenness, and easily causes a serious defect in the coated surface.

[0284] A preferable drying method in the present invention is a horizontal drying method at least until the constant rate drying is completed, regardless of the first drying zone or the second drying zone as described in JP-A-2000-2964. This is a method of drying in a drying zone. The transfer of the support from the time immediately after the coating until the support is guided to the horizontal drying zone may or may not be horizontal, and the rising angle of the coating machine with respect to the horizontal direction may be between 0 and 70 °. In addition, the horizontal drying zone in the present invention only needs to be conveyed within ± 15 ° up and down with respect to the horizontal direction of the coating machine, and does not mean horizontal conveyance.

In the present specification, “constant-rate drying” means a drying process in which the amount of heat flowing in at a constant liquid film temperature is used for evaporating the solvent. Further, in this specification, “rate-decreasing drying” means that the drying rate is reduced by various factors at the end of drying (diffusion of the material in moisture becomes rate-limiting, retreat of the evaporation surface, etc.), and the applied heat is reduced. It means a drying process that is also used to raise the liquid film temperature. The critical moisture content at which the transition from the constant rate process to the rate decreasing process is 200 to 300%. When the constant-rate drying is completed, the drying proceeds sufficiently until the flow stops, and thus a drying method such as a silver halide photographic light-sensitive material can be employed. It is preferable to dry in a horizontal drying zone to a proper drying point.

When forming the image forming layer and / or the protective layer, the liquid film surface temperature during constant-rate drying is the minimum film forming temperature of the polymer latex (MTF; usually 3 to 5 ° C. higher than the glass transition temperature Tg of the polymer). It is preferable to make the above.
Usually, the temperature is often set to 25 ° C. to 40 ° C. due to the limitation of manufacturing equipment. Further, the dry-bulb temperature during the rate-decreasing drying is preferably a temperature lower than the Tg of the support (usually 80 ° C. or lower in the case of PET). "Liquid film surface temperature" in the present specification refers to the solvent liquid film surface temperature of the coating liquid film applied to the support,
"Dry bulb temperature" means the temperature of the drying air in the drying zone.

When drying is performed under the condition that the liquid film surface temperature during constant rate drying is low, the drying tends to be insufficient. For this reason, particularly, the film forming property of the protective layer is significantly reduced, and cracks are easily generated on the film surface. In addition, the film strength is weakened, and serious problems such as susceptibility to damage during transport in an exposure machine or a heat developing machine are likely to occur.

On the other hand, when dried under the condition that the liquid film surface temperature becomes high, the protective layer mainly composed of the polymer latex quickly forms a film, while the lower layer such as the image forming layer has low fluidity. Since it is not stopped, irregularities are likely to be generated on the surface. Further, when an excessive heat higher than Tg is applied to the support (base), the dimensional stability and the curl resistance of the photosensitive material tend to deteriorate.

The same applies to the sequential coating in which the lower layer is coated and dried and then the upper layer is coated. Particularly, the coating for performing the simultaneous multi-layer coating in which the upper layer is coated before the lower layer is dried and both layers are dried simultaneously. As for the liquid properties, the pH difference between the coating solution for the image forming layer and the coating solution for the protective layer is preferably 2.5 or less, and the smaller the pH difference, the more preferable. Coating solution pH
When the difference is large, micro-aggregation is likely to occur at the interface of the coating solution, and a serious surface failure such as a coating streak tends to occur during long continuous coating.

The coating solution viscosity of the image forming layer is 15 to 25 at 25 ° C.
100 mPa · s is preferable, and more preferably 40 to
70 mPa · s. On the other hand, the coating liquid viscosity of the protective layer is 2
The temperature is preferably 5 to 75 mPa · s at 5 ° C., and more preferably 30 to 60 mPa · s. These viscosities are measured by a B-type viscometer.

Winding after drying is preferably carried out under the conditions of a temperature of 20 to 30 ° C. and a relative humidity of 45 ± 20%. Good or inside. Further, when the processing form is a roll product, it is also preferable to use a roll form wound on the side opposite to the winding form at the time of processing in order to remove the curl generated in the winding form. The relative humidity of the photothermographic material is preferably controlled in the range of 20 to 55% (measured at 25 ° C.).

In a conventional photographic emulsion coating solution which is a viscous liquid containing silver halide and containing gelatin as a substrate, bubbles are dissolved and disappear in the liquid simply by sending the liquid under pressure. Even when it is returned, there is almost no occurrence of bubbles. However, in the case of an image forming layer coating solution containing an organic silver salt dispersion and a polymer latex, which are preferably used in the present invention, the defoaming tends to be insufficient only by pressurized liquid feeding, so that a gas-liquid interface does not occur. It is preferable to remove the bubbles by applying ultrasonic vibration while feeding the solution.

In the defoaming of the coating solution in the present invention, the coating solution is degassed under reduced pressure before being applied, and is further degassed at 1.5 kg / cm ^2.
A method in which ultrasonic vibration is applied while maintaining the above-mentioned pressurized state and continuously feeding the liquid without generating a gas-liquid interface is preferable. Specifically, the method described in JP-B-55-6405, page 4, line 20 to page 7, line 11 is preferred.
As an apparatus for performing such defoaming, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-98
The apparatus shown in the embodiment of FIG. 534 and the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 can be preferably used.

The pressing condition is preferably 1.5 kg / cm ² or more, more preferably 1.8 kg / cm ² or more. There is no particular upper limit, but usually 5 kg / cm ²
It is about. The applied ultrasonic sound pressure is 0.2V or more,
It is preferably 0.5 V to 3.0 V, and generally it is preferable that the sound pressure is high. However, if the sound pressure is too high, the temperature becomes partially high due to caption, which causes fog. The frequency is not particularly limited, but is usually 10 kHz or more,
Preferably, it is 20 kHz to 200 kHz. In addition, decompression degassing refers to deaeration by increasing the bubble diameter in the coating solution, increasing the buoyancy, and deaeration by reducing the pressure inside the tank (usually a liquid preparation tank or a storage tank). Decompression conditions are -200 mmHg or lower pressure conditions,
The pressure condition is preferably -250 mmHg or lower, and the lowest pressure condition is not particularly limited, but is usually about -800 mmHg. The decompression time is preferably 3
The time is 0 minute or more, more preferably 45 minutes or more, and the upper limit is not particularly limited.

In the present invention, the image forming layer, the protective layer of the image forming layer, the undercoat layer and the back layer are described in JP-A-11-84.
No. 573, paragraphs 0204 to 0208, JP-A-20
Paragraph Nos. 0240 to 0241 of 01-83679
A dye can be contained for the purpose of preventing halation as described in (1).

In the image forming layer, various dyes and pigments can be used from the viewpoint of improving color tone and preventing irradiation. Although any dyes and pigments can be used for the image forming layer, for example, compounds described in paragraph No. 0297 of JP-A-11-119374 can be used. As a method for adding these dyes, any method such as a solution, an emulsion, a solid fine particle dispersion, and a state in which the dye is mordanted with a polymer mordant may be used. The amount of these compounds to be used is determined depending on the desired absorption amount, but it is generally preferable to use them in the range of 1 × 10 ⁻⁶ g to 1 g per 1 m ² .

When an antihalation dye is used in the present invention, the dye has a desired absorption in a desired range, has a sufficiently low absorption in the visible region after the treatment, and has a desirable absorbance spectrum shape of the back layer. Any compound can be used, if possible. For example, a compound described in paragraph No. 0300 of JP-A-11-119374 can be used. Further, as described in Belgian Patent No. 733,706, a method in which the concentration of a dye is reduced by discoloration by heating, or by discoloration by light irradiation as described in JP-A-54-17833. A method of reducing the concentration and the like can also be used.

When the photothermographic material of the present invention is used as a mask when preparing a printing plate using a PS plate after the heat development, the photothermographic material after the heat development is exposed to the PS plate in a plate making machine under the exposure conditions for the PS plate. Information to set,
Information for setting plate-making conditions such as a transfer condition of a mask original and a PS plate is carried as image information. Therefore, said irradiation dye, halation dye,
The concentration (use amount) of the filter dye is limited to read them. Since this information is read by LED or laser, Dm of the wavelength range of the sensor
In (minimum concentration) needs to be low, and the absorbance needs to be 0.3 or less. For example, a plate making machine S-FNRIII manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. uses a light source having a wavelength of 670 nm as a detector and a bar code reader for detecting a register mark. The plate making machine APM manufactured by Shimizu Seisakusho Co., Ltd.
A 670 nm light source is used as an L series barcode reader. That is, Dmin around 670 nm
When the (lowest density) is high, the information on the film cannot be detected accurately, and a work error occurs in the plate making machine such as a conveyance failure and an exposure failure. Therefore, in order to read information with a 670 nm light source, Dmin around 670 nm needs to be low, and the absorbance at 660 to 680 nm after thermal development needs to be 0.3 or less. More preferably, it is 0.25 or less. The lower limit is not particularly limited, but is usually about 0.10.

In the present invention, the exposure apparatus used for imagewise exposure may be any apparatus capable of performing exposure with an exposure time of 10 ⁻⁷ seconds or less, but is generally a laser diode (LD) or a light emitting diode. An exposure apparatus using (LED) as a light source is preferably used. In particular, LD is more preferable in terms of high output and high resolution. Any of these light sources may be used as long as it can generate light of an electromagnetic wave spectrum in a target wavelength range. For example, for LD,
Dye lasers, gas lasers, solid-state lasers, semiconductor lasers, and the like can be used.

The photothermographic material of the present invention is exposed by overlapping a light beam from a light source. The overlap means that the sub-scanning pitch width is smaller than the beam diameter. The overlap can be quantitatively expressed by FWHM / sub-scanning pitch width (overlap coefficient), for example, when the beam diameter is represented by a half width of beam intensity (FWHM). In the present invention, the overlap coefficient is preferably 0.2 or more.

The scanning method of the light source of the exposure apparatus used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and a cylinder outer surface scanning method, a cylinder inner surface scanning method, a plane scanning method, or the like can be used. Also,
The channel of the light source may be a single channel or a multi-channel, but a multi-channel having two or more laser heads is preferable in that high output is obtained and writing time is shortened. In particular, in the case of the cylindrical outer surface method, a multi-channel having several to several tens or more laser heads is preferably used.

The photothermographic material of the present invention has a low haze at the time of exposure, and tends to cause interference fringes. As a technique for preventing the generation of the interference fringes, a technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-113548, for example, in which a laser beam is obliquely incident on a photosensitive material, or WO95 / 3175.
A method using a multi-mode laser disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4 (Kokai) No. 4 is known, and it is preferable to use these techniques.

The heat development step for forming an image on the photothermographic material of the present invention may be performed by any method, but usually, the photothermographic material exposed imagewise is heated and developed. A preferred embodiment of the heat developing machine used is a type in which the photothermographic material is brought into contact with a heat source such as a heat roller or a heat drum.
No. 56499, JP-A-9-292695, JP-A-9-297385 and International Publication WO95 /
No. 30934, a non-contact type heat developing machine disclosed in JP-A-7-13294, International Publication WO97
No./28489, 97/28488 and 97/28487. Particularly preferred is a non-contact type thermal developing machine. A preferred development temperature is 80 to 250 ° C., more preferably 10 to 250 ° C.
0-140 ° C. The development time is preferably from 1 to 180 seconds, more preferably from 5 to 90 seconds. Line speed is 1
It is preferably at least 40 cm / min, more preferably at least 150 cm / min.

As a method of preventing processing unevenness due to a dimensional change of the photothermographic material at the time of thermal development, a temperature of 80.degree.
It is effective to employ a method of heating at 5 ° C. or more so that an image is not formed at a temperature of less than 15 ° C., and then thermally developing at 110 ° C. to 140 ° C. to form an image (a so-called multi-step heating method). .

When the photothermographic material of the present invention is subjected to thermal development processing, it is exposed to a high temperature of 110 ° C. or more, so that a part of the components contained in the material or a part of the components decomposed by thermal development may be reduced. Volatilizes. These volatile components cause uneven development, corrode the components of the heat developing machine, precipitate at low temperatures, cause deformation of the screen as foreign matter, adhere to the screen and become dirty. It is known that various adverse effects, such as the occurrence of such a problem, occur. As a method for eliminating these effects, it is known to install a filter in the heat developing machine and optimally adjust the flow of air in the heat developing machine. These methods can be effectively used in combination. For example, International Publication WO95 / 3
No. 0933, 97/21150, Tokuheihei 1
Japanese Patent Publication No. 0-500496 discloses a heating device for heating a filter cartridge having a first opening for introducing volatile components and having a second opening for discharging volatile substances, which is in contact with a film. It is described. In addition, International Publication WO96 / 12213, Japanese Patent Publication No.
JP-A-507403 describes the use of a filter combining a thermally conductive condensation collector and a gas-absorbing particulate filter. In the present invention, these can be preferably used. No. 4,518,8.
No. 45, Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-54331 describes a configuration having a device for removing vapor from a film, a pressure device for pressing the film against a heat transfer member, and a device for heating the heat transfer member. ing. In addition, International Publication WO98 / 27
No. 458 describes removing a component which increases fog volatilized from a film from the film surface. These can also be preferably used in the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the configuration of a heat developing machine used for the heat development of the photothermographic material of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a side view of the heat developing machine. The heat developing machine of FIG. 2 includes a carry-in roller pair 11 (an upper roller is a silicon rubber roller and a lower roller is an aluminum heat roller) for carrying the heat development photosensitive material 10 into a heating section while correcting and preheating the heat-developable photosensitive material 10 into a flat shape. It has a carry-out roller pair 12 for carrying out the heat-developable photosensitive material 10 from the heating unit while correcting the heat-developable photosensitive material 10 into a planar shape. The photothermographic material 10 has a carry-in roller pair 1
While being transported from 1 to the discharge roller pair 12, it is thermally developed. In the conveying means for conveying the photothermographic material 10 during the heat development, a plurality of rollers 13 are provided on the side where the surface having the image forming layer contacts, and the non-woven fabric (for example, Aromatic polyamide and Teflon
(Composed of (registered trademark)) and the like.
Is installed. The photothermographic material 10 is conveyed while the back surface is slid over the smooth surface 14 by driving a plurality of rollers 13 that come into contact with the surface having the image forming layer. A heater 1 is provided on the upper portion of the roller 13 and the lower portion of the smooth surface 14 so as to be heated from both sides of the photothermographic material 10.
5 is installed. As a heating means in this case, a plate heater or the like can be used. Although the clearance between the roller 13 and the smooth surface 14 varies depending on the member of the smooth surface, it is appropriately adjusted to a clearance that can transport the photothermographic material 10.
Preferably it is 0 to 1 mm.

Material of Roller 13 Surface and Smooth Surface 1
The member of No. 4 is durable at high temperature and may be anything as long as it does not hinder the conveyance of the photothermographic material 10, but the material of the roller surface is made of silicon rubber, and the member of the smooth surface is made of aromatic polyamide or Teflon (PTFE). Non-woven fabrics are preferred. It is preferable to use a plurality of heaters as the heating means and to set the heating temperature freely.

The heating section is composed of a preheating section A having a carry-in roller pair 11 and a heat development heating section B having a heating heater 15, but a preheating section upstream of the heat development processing section B. A is lower than the heat development temperature (for example, 10 to 3
(Lower by about 0 ° C.), it is desirable to set the temperature and time to be sufficient to evaporate the amount of water in the photothermographic material 10, and to be higher than the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the support of the photothermographic material 10. It is preferable to set the temperature so that uneven development does not occur. The temperature distribution of the preheating section and the heat development section is preferably ± 1 ° C. or less, more preferably ± 0.1 ° C.
5 ° C. or lower is preferred. Further, a guide plate 16 is provided downstream of the thermal development processing section B, and a slow cooling section C having the carry-out roller pair 12 and the guide plate 16 is provided. Guide plate 16
Is preferably a material having a low thermal conductivity.
The cooling is preferably performed gradually so as not to cause deformation, and the cooling rate is preferably 0.5 to 10 ° C./sec.

Although the above has been described with reference to the illustrated examples, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the thermal developing machine used in the present invention, such as that described in JP-A-7-13294, may have various structures. In the case of the multi-stage heating method preferably used in the present invention, in the above-described apparatus,
Two or more heat sources having different heating temperatures may be provided, and heating may be performed continuously at different temperatures.

[0310]

The present invention will be described more specifically with reference to the following examples. The materials, amounts, proportions,
The processing content, processing procedure, and the like can be appropriately changed without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited by the specific examples described below.

Example 1 << Preparation of Silver Halide Emulsion A >> Alkali-treated gelatin (calcium content: 2700 ppm
Below) 11 g, potassium bromide 30 mg, and sodium 4-methylbenzenesulfonate 1.3 g were dissolved,
The pH was adjusted to 6.5 at 45 ° C. Then, silver nitrate 1
159 ml of an aqueous solution containing 8.6 g and 1 m of potassium bromide
ol / L, (NH ₄ ) ₂ RhCl ₅ (H ₂ O) was 5 × 10 ⁻⁶
mol / L and K ₃ IrCl ₆ at 2 × 10 ⁻⁵ mol / L
Was added over 6 minutes and 30 seconds by the control double jet method while maintaining the pAg at 7.7. Then, 476 ml of an aqueous solution containing 55.5 g of silver nitrate, 1 mol / L of potassium bromide and 2 × 10 ₃ of K ₃ IrCl ₆ were added.
^-5 mol / L of a halogen salt aqueous solution containing pAg of 7.7
28 minutes 3 by the control double jet method while keeping
Added over 0 seconds. Thereafter, the pH is lowered to cause coagulation sedimentation and desalting treatment, and low-molecular-weight gelatin having an average molecular weight of 15,000 (calculated as 20 ppm or less) 5
The pH was adjusted to 5.9 and the pAg to 8.0 by adding 1.1 g.
The obtained particles were cubic particles having an average particle size of 0.11 μm, a projected area variation coefficient of 9%, and a (100) plane ratio of 90%. The temperature of the obtained silver halide grains was raised to 60 ° C., and sodium benzenethiosulfonate was added per mole of silver.
6 μmol was added, and after 3 minutes, triethylthiourea 71 was added.
After the addition of μmol, the mixture was aged for 100 minutes, 5 × 10 ⁻⁴ mol of 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-1,3,3a, 7-tetrazaindene and 0.17 g of compound A were added, and then 40 ° C. The temperature was lowered. Thereafter, the temperature was maintained at 40 ° C., and 4.7 × 10 ⁻² mol per mol of silver halide.
1 potassium hydroxide (added as an aqueous solution), 12.8 × 1
^0-4 mol of the following sensitizing dye A (added as an ethanol solution) and 6.4 × 10 ^-3 mol of compound B (added as a methanol solution) are added with stirring, and after 20 minutes, 30
The mixture was rapidly cooled to ° C. to complete the preparation of silver halide emulsion A.

[0312]

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<< Preparation of Organic Acid Silver Salt >> 87.7 g of behenic acid (Edenor C22-85R, manufactured by Henkel), 418 ml of distilled water, 120 ml of tert-butanol,
A sodium behenate solution was prepared by mixing 9.85 g of 0% NaOH pellets, and stirring and reacting at 75 ° C. for 1 hour. Separately, add distilled water 6 to the reaction vessel.
40 ml and 25 ml of tert-butyl alcohol were added, and 206 ml of an Ag solution (aqueous solution containing 40.35 g of silver nitrate) cooled to 8 ° C. with vigorous stirring while maintaining the temperature in Table 13 was added quantitatively over the addition time in Table 13, and the total amount was added. When the Ag solution was added at the ratio shown in Table 13 (the degree of silver addition), the sodium behenate solution kept at 75 ° C. was added quantitatively over the addition time shown in Table 13. Thereafter, aging was performed for 20 minutes after the completion of the addition of sodium behenate. Thereafter, the temperature was lowered to the temperature shown in Table 13. By changing the reaction temperature and the addition time, organic acid silver salts A to J having the shape characteristic values shown in Table 14 were produced. In addition, the sphere equivalent diameter in Table 14,
The long side / short side, aspect ratio, and grain thickness are all average values.

[0314]

[Table 13]

[0315]

[Table 14]

Thereafter, the solid content was separated by suction filtration, and the solid content was washed with water until the conductivity of the filtrate became 30 μS / cm. The organic acid silver salts A to J thus obtained were redispersed by the following method to prepare fine particle dispersions of the organic acid silver salts A to J.

<< Redispersion of Organic Acid Silver Salts A to J >> A wet cake having a dry solid content of 100 g corresponding to each of the organic acid silver salts A to J was added to polyvinyl alcohol (manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.).
(PVA-205) 7.4 g and water were added to make the total amount 385 g, and the mixture was pre-dispersed with a homomixer. Next, the predispersed undiluted solution is dispersed in a dispersing machine (Microfluidics International Corporation,
Microfluidizer M-110S-EH, G10Z
Pressure of 1750k)
g / cm ^2, and treated three times to form organic acid silver salts A to J
Was obtained. Organic acid silver salts A to J thus obtained
Were the same as those described in Table 14.
The cooling operation in the dispersion was performed by setting a coiled heat exchanger before and after the interaction chamber, and adjusting the temperature of the refrigerant to a desired dispersion temperature.

<< Preparation of Solid Fine Particle Dispersion of Reducing Agent >> Reducing Agent [1,1-bis (2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl) -3,5,5-trimethylhexane] 10k
g and 10 kg of a 20% by mass aqueous solution of a modified polyvinyl alcohol (Kuraray Co., Ltd., Poval MP203), 400 g of Surfynol 104E (Nissin Chemical Co., Ltd.), 640 g of methanol, and 16 kg of water are added and mixed well. To make a slurry. This slurry was fed by a diaphragm pump and filled with zirconia beads having an average diameter of 0.5 mm in a horizontal bead mill (made by Imex Co., Ltd., U.S.A.).
After dispersing for 3 hours and 30 minutes in VM-2), 4 g of benzoisothiazolinone sodium salt and water were added to adjust the concentration of the reducing agent to 25% by mass to obtain a solid fine particle dispersion of the reducing agent. Was. The reducing agent particles contained in the dispersion thus obtained had a median diameter of 0.44 μm, a maximum particle diameter of 2.0 μm or less, and a coefficient of variation of the average particle diameter of 19%. The obtained dispersion was filtered through a polypropylene filter having a pore size of 3.0 μm to remove foreign substances such as dust, and then used for preparing the following coating solution.

<< Preparation of Solid Fine Particle Dispersion of Organic Polyhalogen Compound A >> 10 kg of organic polyhalogen compound A [tribromomethyl (4- (2,4,6-trimethylphenylsulfonyl) phenyl) sulfone] and modified polyvinyl alcohol (Poval MP203, manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.)
10 kg of a 20% by weight aqueous solution of sodium triisopropylnaphthalenesulfonate
g, Surfynol 104E (manufactured by Nissin Chemical Co., Ltd.) 40
0 g, 640 g of methanol and 16 kg of water were added and mixed well to form a slurry. This slurry was fed by a diaphragm pump, and a horizontal bead mill (IMEX) filled with zirconia beads having an average diameter of 0.5 mm was used.
After dispersion for 5 hours with UVM-2), water was added to adjust the concentration of the organic polyhalogen compound A to 25% by mass to obtain a solid fine particle dispersion of the organic polyhalogen compound A. Was. The organic polyhalogen compound particles contained in the dispersion thus obtained have a median diameter of 0.36 μm.
m, the maximum particle diameter was 2.0 μm or less, and the coefficient of variation of the average particle diameter was 18%. The resulting dispersion had a pore size of 3.0μ.
After filtration with a polypropylene filter of m to remove foreign matter such as dust, the mixture was used for preparing the following coating solution.

<< Preparation of Solid Fine Particle Dispersion of Organic Polyhalogen Compound B >> 5 kg of organic polyhalogen compound B [tribromomethylnaphthyl sulfone] and 20 parts of modified polyvinyl alcohol (Poval MP203, manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.)
A 2.5% by mass aqueous solution, 213 g of a 20% by mass aqueous solution of sodium triisopropylnaphthalenesulfonate, and 10 kg of water were added and mixed well to form a slurry. This slurry was sent by a diaphragm pump and dispersed for 5 hours in a horizontal bead mill (UVM-2, manufactured by Imex Co., Ltd.) filled with zirconia beads having an average diameter of 0.5 mm. 5 g and water were added to adjust the concentration of the organic polyhalogen compound B to 23.5% by mass to obtain a solid fine particle dispersion of the organic polyhalogen compound B. The organic polyhalogen compound particles contained in the obtained dispersion had a median diameter of 0.38 μm, a maximum particle diameter of 2.0 μm or less, and a coefficient of variation of the average particle diameter of 20%. The resulting dispersion was filtered through a polypropylene filter having a pore size of 3.0 μm to remove foreign substances such as dust, and then used for preparing the following coating solution.

<< Preparation of Organic Polyhalogen Compound C Aqueous Solution >> While stirring at room temperature, 75.0 ml of water and sodium tripropylnaphthalenesulfonate (20% aqueous solution)
8.6 ml, 6.8 ml of sodium dihydrogen orthophosphate dihydrate (5% aqueous solution) and 1 part of potassium hydroxide
9.5 ml of a mol / L aqueous solution was sequentially added, and the mixture was stirred and mixed for 5 minutes after completion of the addition. Further, while stirring, 4.0 g of powder of organic polyhalogen compound C (3-tribromomethanesulfonylbenzoylaminoacetic acid) was added, and the mixture was uniformly dissolved until the solution became transparent to obtain 100 ml of an aqueous solution.
The resulting aqueous solution was filtered through a 200-mesh polyester screen to remove foreign substances such as dust, and then used for preparing the following coating solution.

<< Preparation of Emulsified Dispersion of Compound Z >> Compound Z
10% of R-054 manufactured by Sanko Co., Ltd. containing 85% by mass of
g and 11.66 kg of MIBK were mixed, and then replaced with nitrogen and dissolved at 80 ° C. for 1 hour. To this solution was added 25.52 kg of water and MP polymer manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd. (MP-2 manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.).
03) and 0.44 kg of a 20% by weight aqueous solution of sodium triisopropylnaphthalenesulfonate were added at 20 to 40 ° C and 3600%.
The mixture was emulsified and dispersed at 60 rpm for 60 minutes. Further, 0.08 kg of Surfynol 104E (manufactured by Nissin Chemical Co., Ltd.) was added to this solution.
And 47.94 kg of water were added, and MIBK was removed by distillation under reduced pressure, and then prepared so that the concentration of compound Z was 10% by mass. The particles of compound Z contained in the dispersion thus obtained had a median diameter of 0.19 μm, a maximum particle diameter of 1.5 μm or less, and a variation coefficient of the particle diameter of 17%. The obtained dispersion was filtered through a polypropylene filter having a pore size of 3.0 μm to remove foreign substances such as dust, and stored.

<< Preparation of Dispersion of 6-Isopropylphthalazine Compound >> Modified polyvinyl alcohol (manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd., Poval MP) while stirring 62.35 g of water at room temperature
203) 2.0 g was added so as not to form a lump, and stirred and mixed for 10 minutes. Thereafter, the mixture was heated and heated up to an internal temperature of 50 ° C., and then stirred for 90 minutes at an internal temperature of 50 to 60 ° C. to be uniformly dissolved. The internal temperature was lowered to 40 ° C. or lower, and polyvinyl alcohol (manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd., PVA-217, 1
25.5 g of a 0 mass% aqueous solution), 3.0 g of sodium tripropylnaphthalene sulfonate (a 20 mass% aqueous solution),
And 6.15 g of 6-isopropylphthalazine (70% by mass aqueous solution) were added, and the mixture was stirred for 30 minutes and the transparent dispersion 10 was added.
0 g was obtained. The obtained dispersion was filtered through a polypropylene filter having a pore size of 3.0 μm to remove foreign substances such as dust, and then used for preparing the following coating solution.

<< Preparation of Solid Fine Particle Dispersion of Compound of the Present Invention >> To 4 kg of the compound of the present invention described in Table 15, 1 kg of polyvinyl alcohol (Poval PVA-217, manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.) and 36 kg of water were added. Was added and mixed well to form a slurry. This slurry was sent by a diaphragm pump and filled with zirconia beads having an average diameter of 0.5 mm in a horizontal bead mill (manufactured by Imex Co., Ltd., UV
After dispersion for 12 hours in M-2), 4 g of benzoisothiazolinone sodium salt and water were added to adjust the concentration of the compound of the present invention to 10% by mass, and a solid fine particle dispersion of the compound of the present invention was obtained. I got The particles of the compound of the present invention contained in the obtained dispersion have a median diameter of 0.34 μm,
The maximum particle size is 3.0 μm or less, and the variation coefficient of the particle size is 19
%Met. The obtained dispersion was filtered through a polypropylene filter having a pore size of 3.0 μm to remove foreign substances such as dust, and then used for preparing the following coating solution.

<< Preparation of Solid Fine Particle Dispersion of Development Accelerator W >> 20 kg% of development accelerator W (10 kg) and modified polyvinyl alcohol (Poval MP203, manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.)
An aqueous solution (10 kg) and water (20 kg) were added and mixed well to form a slurry. This slurry was sent by a diaphragm pump and filled with zirconia beads having an average diameter of 0.5 mm in a horizontal bead mill (manufactured by Imex Co., Ltd., UV
After dispersing for 5 hours in M-2), water was added to adjust the concentration of the development accelerator W to 20% by mass to obtain a solid fine particle dispersion of the development accelerator W. The organic polyhalogen compound particles contained in the obtained dispersion have a median diameter of 0.5.
μm, the maximum particle diameter was 2.0 μm or less, and the coefficient of variation of the average particle diameter was 18%. The resulting dispersion had a pore size of 3.0.
After filtration with a μm polypropylene filter to remove foreign substances such as dust, the mixture was used for preparing the following coating solution.

<< Preparation of Coating Solution for Image Forming Layer >> The following binder, material, and silver halide emulsion were added to 1 mol of silver of the organic acid silver salt prepared above, and water was added thereto to form an image. A layer coating solution was prepared. After preparation, pressure 0.54
Vacuum degassing was performed for 45 minutes at atm. The coating solution had a pH of 7.7 and a viscosity of 50 mPa · s at 25 ° C. Organic acid silver salts were added as shown in Table 15. Binder; SBR latex (St / Bu / AA = 68/29/3 (% by weight), using Na ₂ S ₂ O ₈ as a polymerization initiator) 397 g of 1,1-bis (2-hydroxy-3, 5-dimethylphenyl) -3,5,5-trimethylhexane 149.5 g as solids Organic polyhalogen compound B 36.3 g as solids Organic polyhalogen compound C 2.34 g as solids Sodium ethylthiosulfonate 0.47 g Benzotriazole 1.02 g Polyvinyl alcohol (manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd., PVA-235) 10.8 g 6-isopropylphthalazine 5.0 g Compound Z 9.0 g as solid content Compound of the present invention, added as shown in Table 15 Solid content 6.9 g Dye A (added as a mixture with low molecular weight gelatin having an average molecular weight of 15,000) Coating amount at which optical density at 83 nm becomes 0.3 (solid content: 0.40 g) Silver halide emulsion A Ag amount: 0.06 mol Preservative: 40 ppm in Compound A coating solution (2.5 mg / g m ² ) 1% by mass as the total solvent amount in the coating solution of methanol ² % by mass as the total solvent amount in the coating solution of ethanol (The glass transition temperature of the coating film was 17 ° C.)

[0327]

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<< Preparation of Coating Solution for Protective Layer >> Methyl methacrylate / styrene / 2-ethylhexyl acrylate / 2
-Hydroxyethyl methacrylate / acrylic acid = 5
8.9 / 8.6 / 25.4 / 5.1 / 2 (% by mass) of a polymer latex solution (glass transition temperature of copolymer: 46
° C (calculated value), a solid content concentration of 21.5% by mass, 100 ppm of compound A, and compound D as a film-forming aid.
Was added to 15% by mass of the solid content of the latex to give a coating solution having a glass transition temperature of 24 ° C .; water was added to 943 g of an average particle diameter of 116 nm, and 114.8 g of an aqueous solution of an organic polyhalogen compound C was added. 17.0 g of the polyhalogen compound A as solid, 0.69 g of sodium dihydrogen orthophosphate dihydrate as solid, 11.55 g of development accelerator W as solid, matting agent (polystyrene particles, average particle Diameter 7μm, coefficient of variation of average particle diameter 8
%), 1.58 g of polyvinyl alcohol (29.3 g of Kuraray Co., Ltd., PVA-235) and 1.62 g of compound E, and further water was added to give a coating solution (containing 0.8% by mass of a methanol solvent). Prepared. After the preparation, vacuum degassing was performed at a pressure of 0.47 atm for 60 minutes. The resulting protective layer coating solution had a pH of 5.5 and a viscosity of 45 mP at 25 ° C.
a · s.

<< Preparation of Coating Solution for Lower Overcoat Layer >> Methyl methacrylate / styrene / 2-ethylhexyl acrylate / 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate / acrylic acid = 58.9 / 8.6 / 25.4 / 5.1 / 2
(Mass%) polymer latex solution (copolymer glass transition temperature 46 ° C. (calculated value), solid content concentration 21.5 mass%, compound A 100 ppm), and compound D as latex Water was added to 625 g of 15% by mass based on the solid content, and the glass transition temperature of the coating solution was set to 24 ° C .;
0.23 g of compound C, 0.13 g of compound E, 11.7 g of compound F, 2.7 g of compound H and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA-235, manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd.)
5 g was added, and water was further added to prepare a coating solution (containing 0.1% by mass of a methanol solvent). After preparation, pressure 0.4
Vacuum deaeration was performed at 7 atm for 60 minutes. The coating solution had a pH of 2.6 and a viscosity of 30 mPa · s at 25 ° C.

<< Preparation of Coating Solution for Upper Overcoat Layer >> Methyl methacrylate / styrene / 2-ethylhexyl acrylate / 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate / acrylic acid = 58.9 / 8.6 / 25.4 / 5.1 / 2
(Mass%) polymer latex solution (copolymer glass transition temperature 46 ° C. (calculated value), solid content concentration 21.5 mass%, compound A 100 ppm), and compound D as latex Water was added to 649 g of a coating solution having a glass transition temperature of 24 ° C .; an average particle diameter of 116 nm, and carnava wax (manufactured by Chukyo Yushi Co., Ltd., Cellosol 524; 18.4 g of a 30% by mass solution of a silicone content of less than 5 ppm, 0.23 g of compound C, 1.85 g of compound E, 1.0 g of compound G, matting agent (polystyrene particles, average particle diameter of 7 μm, average particle diameter) Coefficient of variation 8%)
3.45 g and polyvinyl alcohol (Kuraray Co., Ltd.)
Co., Ltd., PVA-235) was added, and water was further added to prepare a coating solution (containing 1.1% by mass of a methanol solvent). After preparation, vacuum deaeration was performed at a pressure of 0.47 atm.
Minutes. The coating solution has a pH of 5.3 and a viscosity of 2 at 25 ° C.
It was 5 mPa · s.

[0331]

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<< Preparation of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Support with Back / Undercoat Layer >> (1) Preparation of PET Support Using terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol, the intrinsic viscosity IV = 0.66 (phenol PET / measured at 25 ° C in tetrachloroethane = 6/4 (mass ratio)
I got This was pelletized, dried at 130 ° C. for 4 hours, melted at 300 ° C., and extruded from a T-die. Thereafter, the film was rapidly cooled to prepare an unstretched film having a thickness of 120 μm after heat setting. This was longitudinally stretched 3.3 times at 110 ° C. using rolls having different peripheral speeds, and then horizontally stretched 4.5 times at 130 ° C. using a tenter. Then, after heat-setting at 240 ° C. for 20 seconds, it was relaxed by 4% in the lateral direction at the same temperature. Then, after slitting the chuck portion of the tenter, knurling is performed on both ends, and 4.8 kg
/ Cm ² . In this way, the width 2.4 m,
A roll-shaped PET support having a length of 3500 m and a thickness of 120 μm was obtained.

(2) Preparation of Undercoat Layer and Back Layer Undercoat First Layer The above PET support was subjected to a corona discharge treatment at 0.375 kV · A · min / m ² , and a coating liquid having the following composition was applied to the PET support. .2ml / m coated onto ² become as the support, 125
30 seconds at 150 ° C., then 30 seconds at 150 ° C., then 185 ° C.
For 30 seconds. Latex-A 280 g KOH 0.5 g Polystyrene fine particles (average particle diameter 2 μm, coefficient of variation of average particle diameter 7%) 0.03 g 2,4-dichloro-6-hydroxy-s-triazine 1.8 g Compound-Bc-C 0 0.097g Distilled water Amount that total amount becomes 1000g

Undercoating second layer A coating solution having the composition shown below was applied on the undercoating first layer so as to have a concentration of 5.5 ml / m ^2. Dry at 30 ° C. for 30 seconds.

Deionized gelatin (Ca ²⁺ content: 0.6 ppm, jelly strength: 230 g) 10 g Acetic acid (20% by mass aqueous solution) 10 g Compound-Bc-A 0.04 g Methyl cellulose (2% by mass aqueous solution) 25 g Polyethyleneoxy compound 3g Distilled water Amount that totals 1000g

The first back layer has a surface of 0.375 kV ·
A · min / m ² of corona discharge treatment, and a coating solution having the following composition was applied to the surface so as to have a composition of 13.8 ml / m ² at 125 ° C. for 30 seconds, and then at 150 ° C. for 30 seconds. Further, it was dried at 185 ° C. for 30 seconds.

Julimer ET410 (30% by mass aqueous dispersion, manufactured by Nippon Pure Chemical Co., Ltd.) 23 g Alkali-treated gelatin (molecular weight: about 10,000, Ca ²⁺ content: 30 ppm) 4.44 g Deionized gelatin (Ca ²⁺ content: 0.4%) 0.84 g Compound-Bc-A 0.02 g Dye-Bc-A (adjusted to an optical density of 1.33 to 1.4 at 783 nm) As a guide 0.88 g Polyoxyethylene phenyl ether 1.7 g Water-soluble melamine compound (Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd., Sumitex Resin M-3, 8% by mass aqueous solution) 15 g Sb-doped SnO ₂ aqueous dispersion of needle-like particles (Ishihara Sangyo Co., Ltd., FS-10D) 24 g polystyrene fine particles (average particle diameter 2 μm, coefficient of variation of average particle diameter 7%) 0.03 g distilled water amount of which total amount is 1000 g

Back second layer A coating solution having the composition shown below was applied onto the first back layer so as to have a concentration of 5.5 ml / m ^2.
It was dried at 50 ° C. for 30 seconds and further at 170 ° C. for 30 seconds.

Julimer ET410 (30% by mass aqueous dispersion, manufactured by Nippon Pure Chemical Co., Ltd.) 57.5 g Polyoxyethylene phenyl ether 1.7 g Water-soluble melamine compound (Sumitec Resin M-, manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) 3,8% by mass aqueous solution) 15g Cellosol 524 (30% by mass aqueous solution, manufactured by Chukyo Yushi Co., Ltd.) 6.6g Distilled water Amount that gives a total amount of 1000g

Back third layer The same coating solution as that of the first undercoat layer was applied onto the second back layer so as to have a concentration of 6.2 ml / m ^2. Dry at 30 ° C. for 30 seconds.

Fourth Back Layer A coating solution having the composition shown below was applied onto the third back layer so as to have a concentration of 13.8 ml / m ^2, and was applied at 125 ° C. for 30 seconds, then at 150 ° C. for 30 seconds, and further at 170 ° C. For 30 seconds.

Latex-B 286 g Compound-Bc-B 2.7 g Compound-Bc-C 0.6 g Compound-Bc-D 0.5 g 2,4 Dichloro-6-hydroxy-s-triazine 2.5 g Polymethyl methacrylate (10 Mass% aqueous dispersion, average particle diameter 5 μm, coefficient of variation of average particles 7%) 7.7 g distilled water Total amount of 1000 g

[0343]

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Latex-A: Core-shell type latex having 90% by mass of core and 10% by mass of shell Core: vinylidene chloride / methyl acrylate / methyl methacrylate / acrylonitrile / acrylic acid = 93
/3/3/0.9/0.1 (mass%) Shell part vinylidene chloride / methyl acrylate / methyl methacrylate / acrylonitrile / acrylic acid = 8
8/3/3/3/3 (% by mass) Weight average molecular weight 38,000 Latex-B: Methyl methacrylate / styrene / 2-ethylhexyl acrylate / 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate /
Acrylic acid = 59/9/26/5/1 (% by mass) copolymer

(3) Heat treatment for transportation (3-1) Heat treatment
The T support was placed in a heat treatment zone having a total length of 200 m set at 160 ° C. and transported at a tension of 2 kg / cm ² and a transport speed of 20 m / min. (3-2) Post-heat treatment After the heat treatment, post-heat treatment was performed by passing through a zone at 40 ° C for 15 seconds, and winding was performed. The winding tension at this time was 10 kg / cm ² .

<< Preparation of Photothermographic Material >> A slide beat coating method shown in FIG.
As shown in Table 13, the coating solution for the image forming layer was applied so that the applied silver amount was 1.5 g / m ² . Further, the coating solution for the protective layer was simultaneously and multi-layer coated with the coating solution for the image forming layer so that the solid content of the polymer latex was 1.29 g / m ² . Thereafter, the lower layer overcoat layer coating solution was coated on the protective layer with a solid content of polymer latex of 1.97 g / m ² and the upper overcoat layer coating solution was coated with a polymer latex solid content of 1.07 g / m ^2. m ² was applied simultaneously with the lower layer overcoat coating solution to form a photothermographic material.
Drying at the time of application is performed at a constant dry-bulb
-75 ° C, dew point 8-25 ° C, liquid film surface temperature 35-60 ° C
The drying was performed in a horizontal drying zone (at an angle of 1.5 ° to 3 ° with respect to the horizontal direction of the coating machine) up to the vicinity of the drying point at which the flow of the coating liquid almost disappeared. Winding after drying was performed under the conditions of a temperature of 25 ± 5 ° C. and a relative humidity of 45 ± 5%, and the winding shape was adjusted to the subsequent processing form (image forming layer surface side outer winding), with the image forming layer side being outside. . Incidentally, the envelope relative humidity of the photothermographic material was 20 to 40% (measured at 25 ° C.), and the film surface pH on the image forming side of the obtained photothermographic material was 5.0.
The Beck smoothness was 750 seconds, the pH of the opposite film surface was 5.9, and the Beck smoothness was 600 seconds.

<< Evaluation of Photographic Performance >> (Exposure Processing) A semiconductor laser having a beam diameter (FWHM of 1/2 of beam intensity) of 12.56 μm, a laser output of 50 mW, and an output wavelength of 783 nm is mounted on the obtained photothermographic material. Using the single-channel cylindrical inner surface type laser exposure apparatus described above, exposure was performed with a mirror rotation number of 60000 rpm and an exposure time of 1.2 × 10 ⁻⁸ seconds. At this time, the overlap coefficient was 0.449, and the laser energy density on the photothermographic material surface was 75 μJ / cm ² . (Heat Developing Process) The exposed photothermographic material was subjected to a heat developing process using the heat developing machine shown in FIG. The roller surface material of the thermal development processing part is silicon rubber, the smooth surface is Teflon non-woven fabric, and the line speed of transportation is 150 c.
m / min. The thermal development process is performed by
2.2 seconds (the drive systems of the preheating section and the heat development section are independent, the speed difference between the heat development section is set to -0.5% to -1%, and the temperature of the metal roller in each preheating section is The setting and time were as follows: the first roller temperature was 67 ° C., 2.0 seconds, and the second roller temperature was 82.
° C, 2.0 seconds, third roller temperature 98 ° C, 2.0 seconds, fourth roller temperature 107 ° C, 2.0 seconds, fifth roller temperature 115 ° C, 2.0 seconds, sixth roller temperature 120 ° C ,
2.0 seconds), 17.2 seconds in the heat development processing section (temperature of the surface of the photothermographic material 120 ° C.), and 13.6 seconds in the slow cooling section. The temperature accuracy in the width direction was ± 0.5 ° C. The setting of each roller temperature depends on the width of the photothermographic material (for example, width 6).
5 cm longer on both sides than 1 cm), and a temperature was applied to that portion so that the temperature accuracy was improved. In addition,
Since the temperature at both ends of each roller is drastically lowered, the portion 5 cm longer than the width of the photothermographic material is set so that the temperature is 1-3 ° C. higher than the center of the roller, and the photothermographic material (eg, width) Care was taken that the image density (within 61 cm) was a homogeneous finish.

(Evaluation method) Dmin (fog) of image,
For Dmax (maximum density), see Macbeth TD904
The measurement was performed using a densitometer (visible density). Next, in both cases where the compound of the present invention was present in the light-sensitive material and in the case where the compound was not present, the light-sensitive material after development was cut into a thickness of 2 μm, and an electron micrograph of the slice was taken. For the photograph, the number of developed silver particles per unit area was measured,
The rate of increase in the density of developed silver particles was calculated by the following equation. Developed silver particle density increase rate (%) = (number of developed silver particles per unit area of photosensitive material containing compound of the present invention / number of developed silver particles per unit area of photosensitive material not containing compound of the present invention) × 100 Next, the covering power increase rate was calculated by the following equation. Covering power increase rate (%) = (covering power of photosensitive material containing the compound of the present invention / covering power of photosensitive material not containing the compound of the present invention) × 100 Here, the covering power is as described above in the photosensitive material. Is the value obtained by dividing the visible density by the amount of developed silver (g / m ² ) for the sample in which all the silver ions were reduced. Next, without performing exposure, the line speed of the conveyance was set to 120 c.
The heat development was carried out in the same manner as described above except that the speed was changed to m / min, and the number of generated black spots was visually evaluated. The evaluation results were indicated by a five-point scale of (good) 5 to 1 (bad). Practically, three or more points are required. Next, by the above exposure method, 100
A 50% flat screen was output as a line, heat development was performed in the same manner as described above, and the sharpness and smoothness of halftone dots were visually evaluated with a 200-fold loupe. Evaluation results were (good) 5 to 1
It was shown by the (bad) 5-point method. Practically, three or more points are required.

The results of the above evaluation are shown in Table 15.
As is clear from Table 15, the sample having the constitution of the present invention has a high developed silver particle density and a high covering power, and has a Dmin,
It can be seen that Dmax, sharpness of halftone dots and smoothness are excellent, and that black spots are hardly generated.

[0350]

[Table 15]

Example 2 << Preparation of Coating Solution for Image Forming Layer >> The following binder, material,
Then, a silver halide emulsion was added, and water was added to obtain an image forming layer coating solution. After completion, vacuum degassing was performed at a pressure of 0.54.
Performed at atm for 45 minutes. The pH of the coating solution is 7.3 to 7.
7. The viscosity was 40 to 50 mPa · s at 25 ° C.

Binder; SBR latex (St / Bu / AA = 68/29/3 (% by weight), using Na ₂ S ₂ O ₈ as a polymerization initiator) 397.0 g of 1,1-bis (2 -Hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl) -3,5,5-trimethylhexane 148.0 g as solid content Organic polyhalogen compound A 40.0 g as solid content Organic polyhalogen compound B 12.0 g as solid content organic polyhalogen Compound C 2.0 g as solid content Development accelerator W 5.5 g as solid content sodium ethylthiosulfonate 0.3 g benzotriazole 1.2 g polyvinyl alcohol (Kuraray Co., Ltd., PVA-235) 10.8 g 6-isopropyl Phthalazine 13.0 g Compound Z 9.6 g as solids Compound C 0.2 g Compound (shown in Table 15) 7.9 g as solid content Dye A (added as a mixture with low molecular weight gelatin having an average molecular weight of 15,000) Coating amount at which optical density at 783 nm becomes 0.3 (solid content 0.40 g as a guide) ) Silver halide emulsion 0.06 mol as Ag amount Compound A as preservative 40 ppm in coating solution (2.5 mg / m ² as coating amount) 1% by mass as total solvent amount in methanol coating solution Total in ethanol coating solution 2% by mass as solvent Amount of NaOH was used as a pH adjuster. (The glass transition temperature of the coating film was 17 ° C.)

<< Preparation of Coating Solution for Lower Protective Layer >> Methyl acrylate / methyl methacrylate = 70/30 (mass ratio, average particle size 110 nm, mass average molecular weight 800,00)
0) polymer latex solution (copolymer glass transition temperature 30 ° C., solid content concentration 28.0%, compound A 100
Water was added to 900 g of
g, polyvinyl alcohol (Kuraray Co., Ltd., PVA-
235) was added, and water was further added to prepare a coating liquid (containing 0.5% by mass of a methanol solvent). After the preparation, vacuum degassing was performed at a pressure of 0.47 atm for 60 minutes. The coating solution has a pH of 5.2 and a viscosity of 35 mPa at 25 ° C.
-It was s.

<< Preparation of Coating Solution for Upper Protective Layer >> Methyl acrylate / methyl methacrylate = 70/30 (mass ratio, average particle size 110 nm, mass average molecular weight 800,00)
0) in 900 g of a polymer latex solution (copolymer, glass transition temperature: 30 ° C., solid content: 28.0%, compound A: 100 ppm), carnava wax (manufactured by Chukyo Yushi Co., Ltd., Cellosol 524, silicone) The content is less than 5 ppm).
g, 0.3 g of compound C, 1.2 g of compound E, 25.0 g of compound F, 6.0 g of compound H, matting agent (polystyrene particles, average particle diameter 7 μm, coefficient of variation of average particle diameter 8)
%) And 40.0 g of polyvinyl alcohol (manufactured by Kuraray Co., Ltd., PVA-235), and further added water to prepare a coating solution (containing 1.5% by mass of a methanol solvent). After the preparation, the reaction was performed at a pressure of 0.47 atm for 60 minutes. The coating solution has a pH of 2.4 and a viscosity of 35 at 25 ° C.
mPa · s.

<< Preparation of Photothermographic Material >> A slide glass shown in FIG. 1 of JP-A-2000-2964 is placed on an undercoat layer of a PET support coated with an undercoat layer as described in Example 1. The coating solution for the image forming layer is coated with the above-mentioned coating solution for the lower layer of the protective layer so that the amount of the solid content of the polymer latex is adjusted such that the coating amount of the image forming layer is 1.5 g / m ² by using a coating method. as becomes 1.0 g / m ^2, further such that the solid content coating amount of the upper to the upper protective layer coating liquid polymer latex is 1.3 g / m ^2, the image forming layer and the protective layer underlying and The upper three layers were simultaneously coated. The drying conditions at the time of coating are as follows: the first drying zone (low-speed air drying area) has a dry bulb temperature of 70 to 75 ° C, a dew point of 9 to 23 ° C, an air velocity of 8 to 10 m / s on the support surface, and a liquid film surface temperature of 35 to Drying was performed at a temperature of 40 ° C., and a second drying zone (high-speed air drying area) was dried at a dry bulb temperature of 65 to 70 ° C., a dew point of 20 to 23 ° C., and a wind speed of 20 to 25 m / s on the surface of the support. The residence time in the first drying zone was 2/3 of the constant-rate drying period in this zone, and the zone was moved to the second drying zone and dried. The first drying zone is a horizontal drying zone (the support is at an angle of 1.5 ° to 3 ° with respect to the horizontal direction of the coating machine). The coating speed is
The test was performed at 60 m / min. Winding after drying is temperature 25 ±
The test was performed at 5 ° C. and a relative humidity of 45 ± 10%. The winding shape is adjusted to the subsequent processing form (image forming layer surface side winding)
The image forming layer side was outside. The wrapping humidity of the photosensitive material was 20 to 40% relative humidity (measured at 25 ° C.), the film surface pH on the image forming side of the obtained photothermographic material was 5.1, and the Bekk smoothness was 5000 seconds. The pH of the opposite membrane surface is 5.
9. The Beck smoothness was 500 seconds.

Example 1 except that the coating method was changed
A sample was prepared and evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1.
Similarly to the above, the sample of the configuration of the present invention showed good performance.

<Example 3> A coating solution for a lower protective layer was prepared in the same manner as in Example 2. The coating solution for the upper protective layer was prepared in exactly the same manner as in Example 2 except that 5.0 g of polystyrene particles having an average particle diameter of 11 μm (coefficient of variation of the average particle diameter of 8%) was used as a matting agent. Then, on the undercoat layer of the PET support coated with the undercoat layer as described in Example 1, the slide bead coating method shown in FIG. The coating solution for the image forming layer was coated so that the coating amount of silver was 1.5 g / m ^2, and the coating solution for the lower layer of the protective layer was further coated thereon so that the solid content of the polymer latex was 1.2 g / m ² . Further, the image forming layer and the lower and upper layers of the protective layer were simultaneously coated on the protective layer upper layer coating solution so that the coating amount of the solid content of the polymer latex was 1.4 g / m ² .

The drying conditions and winding appearance at the time of coating were the same as in Example 2, and the image forming layer surface side was set to the outside according to the subsequent processing mode (image forming layer surface side outer winding). The packaging temperature of the photosensitive material was 20 to 40% relative humidity (measured at 25 ° C.), and the film surface pH on the image forming side of the obtained photothermographic material was 5.1.
The Beck smoothness was 1300 seconds, the pH of the opposite film surface was 5.9, and the Beck smoothness was 500 seconds. The sample thus obtained was evaluated in the same manner as in Example 1. As a result, the sample having the structure of the present invention showed good performance as in Example 1.

<Embodiment 4> The photosensitive materials prepared in Embodiments 1, 2 and 3 were used in DRY SYSTEM PROCE.
When a heat development treatment was performed with SSSO FDS-6100X (manufactured by Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd.), the samples having the constitution of the present invention showed good performance similarly to Examples 1, 2, and 3.

<Example 5> In the same manner as in Example 1, compounds 2-2, 10-2, 18-1, 218-2 and H-1-1 were used as compounds of the present invention.
5, compound H-2-2, compound H-2-2, compound H-
Twelve types of photothermographic materials were prepared using Compound 3-1 and Compound H-4-1, Compound H-5-1, Compound A'-6 and Compound A-3, respectively. These photothermographic materials are
Evaluation was performed in the same manner as in Example 1. As a result, the same effect as in Example 1 was obtained.

Example 6 1) Preparation of Subbed Support << Preparation of PET Support >> PET pellets were prepared at 130 ° C.
After drying for an hour, it was melted at 300 ° C., extruded from a T-die, and quenched to produce an unstretched film. This was longitudinally stretched 3.0 times using rolls having different peripheral speeds, and then horizontally stretched 4.5 times using a tenter. The temperatures at this time were 110 ° C. and 130 ° C., respectively. After this, 240 ° C
After heat setting for 20 seconds, the film was relaxed 4% in the lateral direction at the same temperature. Thereafter, the zone at 200 ° C. is wound up with a tension of 3.5 k.
Heat treatment was performed at a rate of 20 m / min at g / cm ² for 10 minutes.

Thereafter, the chuck portion of the tenter was slittered, and both ends were knurled and wound up with a force of 40N. Thus, a roll of a PET film having a width of 2.4 m, a length of 800 m, and a thickness of 125 μm was obtained. The glass transition point was 79 ° C.

The biaxially stretched heat-fixed PET film support having a thickness of 125 μm and having a thickness of 125 μm was subjected to a corona discharge treatment of 8 W / m ² · min. The following undercoating coating solution a-1 was applied so as to have a dry film thickness of 0.8 μm, and was dried.
On the opposite side, an undercoating coating solution b-1 having been subjected to the following antistatic processing was applied so as to have a dry film thickness of 0.8 μm, and dried to obtain an antistatic undercoat layer B-1.

<< Undercoat Coating Solution a-1 >> A mixture of butyl acrylate (30% by mass), t-butyl acrylate (20% by mass), styrene (25% by mass), and 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (25% by mass) Polymer latex liquid (solid content 30%) 270 g (C-1) 0.6 g Hexamethylene-1,6-bis (ethylene urea) 0.8 g Polystyrene fine particles (average particle size 3 μm) 0.05 g Colloidal silica (average particle size) Diameter 90μm) 0.1g Water Amount that total amount becomes 1000ml

<< Undercoat Coating Solution b-1 >> SnO ₂ / Sb (9/1 mass ratio, average particle size 0.18 μm) Amount to become 200 mg / m ² Butyl acrylate (30 mass%), styrene (20 mass%) ) Glycidyl acrylate (40 mass%) copolymer latex liquid (solid content 30%) 270 g (C-1) 0.6 g hexamethylene-1,6-bis (ethylene urea) 0.8 g water Amount

The upper surfaces of the undercoat layer A-1 and the undercoat layer B-1 were subjected to a corona discharge of 8 w / m ² .min.
-1 is coated with the following lower coating liquid a-2 so as to have a dry film thickness of 0.1 μm to form a lower coating upper layer A-2. The upper layer coating solution b-2 was applied so as to have a dry film thickness of 0.8 μm to obtain a lower upper layer B-2 having an antistatic function.

<< Coating Solution a-2 for Lower Substrate >> Gelatin 0.4 g / m ² Mass (C-1) 0.2 g (C-2) 0.2 g (C-3) 0.1 g Silica particles ( Average particle size 3μm) 0.1g Water Amount that total amount becomes 1000ml

<< Coating solution b-2 for lower undercoat >> (C-4) 60 g Latex liquid containing (C-5) as a component (solid content: 20%) 80 g Ammonium sulfate 0.5 g (C-6) 12 g Polyethylene glycol ( Weight average molecular weight 600) 6g Water Amount that total amount becomes 1000ml

[0369]

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[0370]

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<< Heat Treatment of Support >> The above-mentioned lowered support was placed in a heat treatment zone having a total length of 200 m set at 160 ° C., and was conveyed at a tension of 2 kg / cm ² and a conveyance speed of 20 m / min. Thereafter, it is passed through a zone of 40 ° C. for 15 seconds,
The film was wound with a winding tension of kg / cm ² .

2) Preparation of Emulsion and Solution << Preparation of Silver Halide Emulsion >> 7.5 g of inert gelatin and 10 mg of potassium bromide were dissolved in 900 ml of water, and the temperature was adjusted to 35 ° C. and the pH to 3.0. Silver nitrate 74
g of 370 ml of aqueous solution and (60/38/2) mo
1 ratio of sodium chloride, potassium bromide, potassium iodide and [Ir (NO) Cl ₅ ] salt at 1 ×
The 10 ^-6 mol and aqueous rhodium chloride salt containing 1 × 10 ^-6 mol per silver 1mol 370ml, pAg7.
While maintaining at 7, the addition was performed by the controlled double jet method. Thereafter, 4-hydroxy-6-methyl-1,3,3
a, 7-Tetrazaindene was added, the pH was adjusted to 8 with NaOH, and the pAg was adjusted to 6.5 to perform reduction sensitization. Thus, cubic silver iodobromide grains having a [100] face ratio of 87% were obtained. This emulsion was subjected to coagulation sedimentation using a gelatin coagulant, desalting treatment, and then 0.1 g of phenoxyethanol.
Was adjusted to pH 5.9 and pAg 7.5 to obtain a silver halide emulsion.

<< Preparation of Sodium Behenate Solution >> 945
32.4 g of behenic acid and 9.9 of arachidic acid in ml of pure water
g and stearic acid 5.6 g were dissolved at 90 ° C. Next, 98 ml of a 1.5 mol / L aqueous sodium hydroxide solution was added while stirring at a high speed. Next, after adding 0.93 ml of concentrated nitric acid, the mixture was cooled to 55 ° C. and stirred for 30 minutes to obtain a sodium behenate solution.

<< Preparation of Preform Emulsion of Silver Behenate and Silver Halide Emulsion >>
After adding the silver halide emulsion and adjusting the pH to 8.1 with a sodium hydroxide solution, 147 ml of a 1 mol / L silver nitrate solution is added over 7 minutes, and the mixture is further stirred for 20 minutes to remove water-soluble salts by ultrafiltration. did. The produced silver behenate was grains having an average grain size of 0.8 μm and a monodispersity of 8%. After forming the flocs of the dispersion, remove the water,
After further washing with water six times and removal of water, drying was performed.

<< Preparation of Photosensitive Emulsion >> The preform emulsion was divided, and a solution of polyvinyl butyral (average molecular weight: 3,000) in methyl ethyl ketone (17% by mass) was prepared.
After 44 g and 107 g of toluene were gradually added and mixed, the mixture was dispersed at 30 ° C. for 10 minutes at 4000 psi by a media disperser using a bead mill of 0.5 mm size ZrO ₂ .

The following layers were simultaneously coated on both sides of the support to prepare samples. In addition, drying is 60 ° C,
It took 15 minutes.

3) Coating on Back Side On the undercoat layer B-2 of the support, a back layer coating solution having the following composition was applied to form a back layer. << Coating solution for back layer >> Cellulose acetate butyrate (10% methyl ethyl ketone solution) 15 ml / m ² dye-A 60 mg / m ² Matting agent: monodispersity 15% Average particle size 8 μm monodisperse silica 90 mg / m ² C ₈ F ₁₇ (CH ₂ CH ₂ O) ₁₂ C ₈ F ₁₇ 50 mg / m ² C ₉ F ₁₉ -C ₆ H ₄ —SO ₃ Na 10 mg / m ²

[0378]

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4) Image Forming Layer Surface Side Coating The image forming layer coating solution having the following composition was coated on the undercoat layer A-2 of the support so that the coated silver amount was 1.5 g / m ² . . << Coating solution for image forming layer >> 240 g of the photosensitive emulsion 1.7 g of sensitizing dye (0.1% methanol solution) 1.7 ml of pyridinium bromide perbromide (6% methanol solution) 3 ml of calcium bromide (0.1% methanol solution) 1 0.7 ml Oxidizing agent (10% methanol solution) 1.2 ml Compound (T-44) 9.2 ml 2-mercaptobenzimidazole (1% methanol solution) 11 ml Compound P (5% methanol solution) 17 ml Compound 2-1 5 × 10 ⁻³ mol / Ag-mol Phthalazine 0.6 g 4-methylphthalic acid 0.25 g Tetrachlorophthalic acid 0.2 g Calcium carbonate with an average particle size of 3 μm 0.1 g 1,1-bis (2-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl) 5.5 ml of 1,2-bis (2-methylpropane (20% methanol solution) Dorokishi-3,5-dimethylphenyl) -3,5,5-trimethyl hexane (20% methanol solution) 15.0 ml isocyanate compound (Mobay Corp., Desmodur N3300) 0.5 g

[0380]

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[0381]

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A coating solution for a surface protective layer having the following composition was used:
Coating was performed simultaneously with the coating solution for the image forming layer so as to be on the image forming layer. At this time, the addition amount of cellulose acetate butyrate was controlled so that the thickness of the surface protective layer was 2.5 μm. "Surface protective layer coating solution" Acetone 5 ml / m ² methyl ethyl ketone 21 ml / m ² Cellulose acetate butyrate 2.3 g / m ² methanol 7 ml / m ² phthalazine 250 mg / m ² Matting agent: monodisperse degree of 10% average particle size 4μm single dispersed silica _{^{5mg / m 2 CH 2 = CHSO}} 2 CH 2 CONHCH 2 CH 2 NHCOCH 2 SO 2 CH = CH 2 35mg / m 2 fluorine-based surfactant _{C 12 F 25 (CH 2 CH} 2 O) 10 C 12 F 25 10 mg / m ² C ₈ F ₁₇ —C ₆ H ₄ —SO ₃ Na 10 mg / m ² After using a sample after forming a coating film, removing the binder, it was measured by an electron microscope observation using a replica method.
The organic silver salt particles have a monodispersity of 5% in which tabular grains having a major axis diameter of 0.5 ± 0.05 μm, a minor axis diameter of 0.4 ± 0.05 μm, and a thickness of 0.01 μm are 90% of all organic silver salt particles. % Particles.

5) Exposure Treatment The obtained photothermographic material was treated with a beam having a beam diameter (beam intensity of 1).
/2.5 FWHM) 12.56 μm, laser output 50 m
W, using a single-channel cylindrical inner surface type laser plotter equipped with a semiconductor laser with an output wavelength of 783 nm, a mirror rotation speed of 60000 rpm, and an exposure time of 1.2 ×
An exposure of 10 ^-8 seconds was performed. At this time, the overlap coefficient was 0.449, and the laser energy density on the photothermographic material surface was 75 μJ / cm ² .

6) Heat Development The heat-developable photosensitive material was subjected to heat development on-line through the auto-carrier from the plotter by the heat developing machine shown in FIG. The roller surface material of the heat developing section was made of silicon rubber, the smooth surface was made of Teflon nonwoven fabric, and the line speed of the conveyance in the heat developing section was set at 25 mm / sec. Preheating section 12.2 seconds (the driving systems of the preheating section and the heat development section are independent, and the speed difference between the preheating section and the heat development section is -0.5% to -1%
Is set to 0%, and the speed difference from the pre-heating section of the auto carrier is 0%
Set to ~ -1.0%, set the temperature of the metal roller in each preheating section, time was 67 ° C for the first roller, 2.0 seconds, 82 ° C for the second roller, 2.0 seconds, 98% for the third roller.
° C, 2.0 seconds, 4th roller temperature 107 ° C, 2.0
Second, the temperature of the fifth roller was 115 ° C., 2.0 seconds, and the temperature of the sixth roller was 120 ° C., 2.0 seconds).
(The temperature of the photothermographic material surface) 17.2 seconds, slow cooling section 13.
The heat development was performed in 6 seconds. The temperature accuracy in the width direction was ± 0.5 ° C. The temperature of each roller is set to 5 on each side of the width of the photothermographic material (for example, 61 cm in width).
cm longer, the temperature was also applied to that part so that the temperature accuracy was improved. Since the temperature at both ends of each roller is drastically lowered, the portion 5 cm longer than the width of the photothermographic material is set so that the temperature is 1-3 ° C. higher than the center of the roller, and the photothermographic material ( Care was taken to ensure that the image density (within a width of, for example, 61 cm) was uniform.

7) Evaluation The same evaluation as in Example 1 was performed. As a result, excellent effects were confirmed as in Example 1.

Compound 2-2, compound 10-2 and compound 18 were used instead of compound 2-1 used in the coating solution for the image forming layer.
-1, compound 218-2, compound H-1-15, compound H-2-2, compound H-2-2, compound H-3-1, compound H-4-1, compound H-5-1, Compound A′-6,
Twelve types of photothermographic materials were further prepared using compound A-3, respectively. When these photothermographic materials were evaluated by the above method, similarly excellent effects were confirmed.

[0387]

According to the present invention, photolithographic applications which have high developed silver particle density and covering power, are excellent in Dmin, Dmax, sharpness of halftone dots and smoothness, and hardly generate black spots. The most suitable photothermographic material can be obtained. In addition, water-based coating that is advantageous in terms of environment and cost is possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional electron micrograph showing a case where a compound of the present invention is present in a photothermographic material (A) and a case where it is not present (B).

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a configuration example of a heat developing machine used for a heat development process of the photothermographic material of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 heat-developed image forming material 11 carry-in roller pair 12 carry-out roller pair 13 roller 14 smooth surface 15 heating heater 16 guide plate A preheating section B heat development processing section C slow cooling section

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A photothermographic material comprising a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent for silver ions, and a binder on one side of a support, wherein the non-photosensitive organic silver salt is used. At least one of compounds capable of imagewise generating a chemical species capable of forming a development start point on and in the vicinity thereof;
And the non-photosensitive organic silver salt is represented by the following (1) to
A photothermographic material comprising fine particles satisfying all the conditions of (4). (1) Average sphere equivalent diameter is 0.1 μm to 0.8 μm (2) Average of long side / short side in main plane is 1 to 4 (3) Average aspect ratio is 2 to 30 (4) Average thickness is 0 .01 μm to 0.20 μm 2. A photothermographic material comprising a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent for silver ions, and a binder on one surface of a support.
The non-photosensitive organic silver salt contains at least one compound that increases the density of developed silver particles to 200 to 5000% by adding it at a rate of 01 mol / silver mol.
A photothermographic material comprising fine particles satisfying all the conditions of (4) to (4). (1) Average sphere equivalent diameter is 0.1 μm to 0.8 μm (2) Average of long side / short side in main plane is 1 to 4 (3) Average aspect ratio is 2 to 30 (4) Average thickness is 0 .01 μm to 0.20 μm 3. A photothermographic material comprising a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a photosensitive silver halide, a reducing agent for silver ions, and a binder on one surface of a support.
Fine particles containing at least one compound whose covering power increases to 120 to 1000% when added at 01 mol / silver mol, and satisfying all of the following conditions (1) to (4): A photothermographic material comprising: (1) Average sphere equivalent diameter is 0.1 μm to 0.8 μm (2) Average of long side / short side in main plane is 1 to 4 (3) Average aspect ratio is 2 to 30 (4) Average thickness is 0 .01 μm to 0.20 μm 4. The composition according to claim 1, which comprises at least one compound represented by the following general formula (T).
A photothermographic material according to any one of the above. Embedded image (In the formula, R ¹ is a hydrogen atom, —OM ² , an alkyl group substituted with at least one group containing at least one hetero atom, or an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an acyl group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an aryloxy group. Carbonyl group, acyloxy group, acylamino group, alkoxycarbonylamino group, aryloxycarbonylamino group, alkoxycarbonyloxy group, aryloxycarbonyloxy group, sulfonylamino group, sulfamoyl group, carbamoyl group, alkylthio group, arylthio group, amino group, Sulfonyl group, sulfinyl group, sulfonyloxy group, ureido group, silyl group, mercapto group,
It represents an aryl group or a heterocyclic group substituted with at least one group selected from a hydroxy group, a nitroso group, a sulfo group, a carboxyl group, a phosphate group, a heterocyclic group, and a halogenoalkyl group. L represents a linking group;
¹ and M ² represent a hydrogen atom or a cation. m is 0
5 represents an integer of 5, and n represents an integer of 1 to 3. However, when m is 0, and when m is 1 and R ¹ is -OH, L
Is a halogen atom, acyloxy group, alkoxycarbonyl group, aryloxycarbonyl group, formyl group, aryloxycarbonylamino group, alkoxycarbonyloxy group, aryloxycarbonyloxy group, amino group, sulfonyl group, sulfinyl group, sulfonyloxy group, silyl And a linking group substituted by 1 to 3 groups selected from a group, a mercapto group, a hydroxy group, a nitroso group, a sulfo group, a phosphate group, and a heterocyclic group. )