Silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material

1. A silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material, having at least one blue-sensitive emulsion layer containing a yellow coupler, at least one green-sensitive emulsion layer containing a magenta coupler, and at least one red-sensitive emulsion layer containing a cyan coupler, on a support;

wherein said blue-sensitive emulsion layer contains at least one coupler represented by formula (I); and

wherein the silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material satisfies the following expression a-1) and/or b-1):

wherein, in formula (I), Q represents a group of non-metal atoms necessary to form a 5- to 7-membered ring together with the —N═C—N(R1)-; R1 represents a substituent; R2 represents a substituent; m represents 0 (zero) or an integer of 1 to 5; when m is 2 or more, R2s may be the same or different from each other, or R2s may bond together to form a ring; and X represents a hydrogen atom, or a group capable of being split-off upon a coupling reaction with an oxidized product of a developing agent;

0.5 ≦D max( UV )/ D min( UV )≦1.1  a-1):

wherein Dmax(UV)/Dmin(UV) is the smallest value in a range of wavelength UV, in which UV is a wavelength within the range of 340 nm or more and 450 nm or less, among values represented by (an absorbance at a wavelength UV, for a portion having the yellow maximum color density)/(an absorbance at the wavelength UV, for a portion having the yellow minimum color density);

1300≦( B−C )/ A≦ 20000  b-1);

wherein B represents the maximum color density of yellow, C represents the minimum color density of yellow, each of which means a transmission density when the support is a transmissive support, or a reflection density when the support is a reflective support; and A is an amount mol/m 2 of the coupler represented by formula (I) to be used.

2. The silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein Q in the formula (I) is a group represented by —C(—R11)=C(—R12)-SO 2 — or —C(—R11)=C(—R12)-CO—, in which R11 and R12 bond with each other to form a 5- to 7-membered ring together with the —C═C—, or R11 and R12 independently represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent.

3. The silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the coupler represented by formula (I) is a coupler represented by formula (II):

wherein, in formula (II), R1, R2, m and X each have the same meanings as those in formula (I); R3 represents a substituent; n represents 0 (zero) or an integer of 1 to 4; when n is 2 or more, R3s may be the same or different, or R3s may bond together to form a ring.

4. The silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support is a transmissive support, and wherein the silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material satisfies the following expression a-2):

0.5 ≦D max( UV )/ D min( UV )≦0.9  a-2):

wherein Dmax(UV)/Dmin(UV) has the same meaning as defined in claim 1 .

5. The silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support is a transmissive support, and wherein the silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material satisfies the following expression a-2) and/or b-2):

0.5 ≦D max( UV )/ D min( UV )≦0.9  a-2):

1700≦( B−C )/ A≦ 10000  b-2):

wherein Dmax(UV)/Dmin(UV), B, C, and A have the same meanings as defined in claim 1 .

6. The silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support is a reflective support, and wherein the silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material satisfies the following expression a-1) and/or b-3):

0.5 ≦D max( UV )/ D min( UV )≦1.1  a-1):

4200≦( B−C )/ A≦ 20000  b-3):

wherein Dmax(UV)/Dmin(UV), B, C, and A have the same meanings as defined in claim 1 .

7. The silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material as claimed in claim 1 , having at least one emulsion layer containing a silver halide emulsion that contains silver halide grains whose silver chloride content is 95 mole % or more.

8. A method of forming a color-image, comprising the steps of:

exposing image-wise the silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material according to claim 1 ;

subjecting the exposed silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material to black-and white development;

subjecting the silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material to reversal-processing; and

subjecting the silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material to color development.

9. A silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material, having at least one blue-sensitive emulsion layer containing a yellow coupler, at least one green-sensitive emulsion layer containing a magenta coupler, and at least one red-sensitive emulsion layer containing a cyan coupler, on a support;

wherein said blue-sensitive emulsion layer contains at least one coupler represented by formula (I);

wherein the silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material satisfies the following expression a-1) and/or b-1): and

wherein the silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material satisfies conditions 1) and/or 2) described below:

wherein, in formula (I), Q represents a group of non-metal atoms necessary to form a 5- to 7-membered ring together with the —N═C—N(R1)-; R1 represents a substituent; R2 represents a substituent; m represents 0 (zero) or an integer of 1 to 5; when m is 2 or more, R2s may be the same or different from each other, or R2s may bond together to form a ring; and X represents a hydrogen atom, or a group capable of being split-off upon a coupling reaction with an oxidized product of a developing agent;

0.5 ≦D max( UV )/ D min( UV )≦1.1  a-1):

wherein Dmax(UV)/Dmin(UV) is the smallest value in a range of wavelength UV, in which UV is a wavelength within the range of 340 nm or more and 450 nm or less, among values represented by (an absorbance at a wavelength UV, for a portion having the yellow maximum color density)/(an absorbance at the wavelength UV, for a portion having the yellow minimum color density);

1300≦( B−C )/ A≦ 20000  b-1);

wherein B represents the maximum color density of yellow, C represents the minimum color density of yellow, each of which means a transmission density when the support is a transmissive support, or a reflection density when the support is a reflective support; and A is an amount mol/m 2 of the coupler represented by formula (I) to be used;

Condition 1: a silver halide emulsion contained in any of the light-sensitive emulsion layers contains an iridium ion compound having at least one ligand of a 5-membered or 6-membered heterocyclic compound; and

Condition 2: the blue-sensitive emulsion layer containing at least one coupler represented by formula (I), contains at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following formulae [S-I], [S-II], [S-III], [S-IV], [S-V], [S-VI], [ST-I], [ST-II], [ST-III], [ST-IV]and [ST-V]:

wherein, in formula [S-I], R s1 , R s2 and R s3 each independently represents an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group or an aryl group, in which the total number of carbon atoms contained in the groups represented by R s1 , R s2 and R s3 is 12 to 60, and at least one of R s1 , R s2 and R s3 represents an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, or an alkenyl group;

wherein, in formula [S-II], R s4 and R s5 each independently represents an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkoxy group or a halogen atom; s1 represents an integer from 0 to 4; and when s1 is 2 or more, plural R s5 s may be the same or different, and R s4 and R s5 may bond with each other to form a five- or six-membered ring; and when R s4 represents an alkyl group and s1 is 2, at least one R s5 represents a cycloalkyl group or an alkoxy group;

R s6 COOR s7 ) sm   formula [S-II]

wherein, in formula [S-III], R s6 represents a linking group having no aromatic group; R s7 represents an alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group having 20 or less carbon atoms; sm represents an integer from 2 or more and 5 or less; and when sm is 2 or more, plural —COOR s7 s may be the same or different;

R s8 OCOR s9 ) sn   formula [S-IV]

wherein, in formula [S-IV], R s8 represents a linking group; R s9 represents an alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group having 20 or less carbon atoms; sn represents an integer from 2 or more and 5 or less; and when sn is 2 or more, plural —OCOR s9 s may be the same or different;

wherein, in formula [S-V], R s10 , R s11 , R s12 and R s13 each independently represents a hydrogen atom, an aliphatic group, an aliphatic oxycarbonyl group, an aromatic oxycarbonyl group or a carbamoyl group, in which the total number of carbon atoms contained in R s10 , R s11 , R s12 and R s13 is 8 to 60; and R s10 and R s11 , R s10 and R s12, or R s12 and R s13 may bond with each other, to form a five- to seven-membered ring, respectively; with the proviso that all of R s10 , R s11 , R s12 and R s13 simultaneously do not represent a hydrogen atom; and when R s10 and R s12 each represents a hydrogen atom and R s11 represents a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic group, R s13 represents an aliphatic oxycarbonyl group, an aromatic oxycarbonyl group or a carbamoyl group;

R s14 COOR s15 ) sp   formula [S-VI]

wherein, in formula [S-VI], R s14 represents an aromatic linking group; R s15 represents an alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group having 20 or less carbon atoms; sp represents an integer from 3 or more and 5 or less; and when sp is 2 or more, plural —COOR s15 s may be the same or different;

wherein, in formula [ST-I], R 40 , R 50 and R 60 each independently represents an aliphatic group or an aromatic group; and l4, m4 and n4 each independently represents 0 or 1, with the proviso that l4, m4 and n4 simultaneously are not 1;

R A —NH—SO 2 —R B   formula [ST-II]

wherein, in formula [ST-II], R A and R B each independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, a cycloalkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aryl group, a heterocyclic group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, a heterocyclic oxy group, or a group represented by the following formula:

in which R C and R D each independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group or an aryl group; and R A and R B each may be the same or different;

HO J′ COOY  formula [ST-III]

wherein, in formula [ST-III], J′ represents a divalent organic group; and Y represents an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, a cycloalkenyl group or a heterocyclic group;

R 51 —O CH 2 -J 5 -CH 2 O l5 R 52   formula [ST-IV]

wherein, in formula [ST-IV], R 51 and R 52 each independently represents an aliphatic group or —COR 53 , in which R 53 represents an aliphatic group; J 5 represents a divalent organic group or simply a connecting bond; and l5 represents an integer from 0 to 6; and

R 54 —Y 54   formula [ST-V]

wherein, in formula [ST-V], R 54 represents a hydrophobic group having the total number of carbon atoms of 10 or more; and Y 54 represents a monovalent organic group containing an alcoholic hydroxyl group.

10. The silver halide color photographic light-sensitive material as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the cyan coupler is a cyan coupler represented by the following formula (CC-I):

wherein, in formula (CC-I), G a represents —C(R 23 )═ or —N═; G b represents —C(R 23 )═ when G a represents —N═, or G b represents —N═ when G a represents —C(R 23 )═; R 21 and R 22 each independently represents an electron attractive group of which a Hammett's substituent constant σ p value is 0.20 or more and 1.0 or less; R 23 represents a substituent; and Y represents a hydrogen atom, or a group capable of being split-off upon a coupling reaction with an oxidized product of a developing agent.