Photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing compositions

1. A photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing composition comprising:

a) a non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex comprising a reducible silver ion complexed with an α-oxy carboxylate and a 5- or 6-membered N-heteroaromatic compound,

the non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complex being represented by the following formula (I):

(Ag + ) a (L) b (P) c    (I)

wherein L represents the α-oxy carboxylate; P represents the 5- or 6-membered N-heteroaromatic compound; a is 1 or 2; b is 1 or 2; and c is 1, 2, 3, or 4, provided that when a is 1, b is 1, and when a is 2, b is 2;

b) optionally, a photosensitizer that can either reduce the reducible silver ion or oxidize the α-oxy carboxylate; and

c) a solvent medium comprising at least one non-hydroxylic solvent,

wherein L is represented by the following formula (II):

R 1 is hydrogen or a branched or linear alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, and R 2 and R 3 are independently branched or linear alkyl groups having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, wherein any of the hydrogen atoms in the R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 branched or linear alkyl groups optionally can be replaced with a fluorine atom.

2. The photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing composition of claim 1 , wherein one or more non-hydroxylic-solvent soluble silver complexes are present in an amount of at least 5 weight % and up to and including 90 weight % based on the total weight of the photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing composition.

3. The photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing composition of claim 1 , wherein the solvent medium comprises one or more non-hydroxylic solvents selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, benzonitrile, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, butyronitrile, propylene carbonate, propionitrile, isovaleronitrile, valeronitrile, and a mixture of two or more of these organic solvents.

4. The photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing composition of claim 1 that meets a silver ion stability test such that when the photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing composition is held for 24 hours at ambient temperature and in yellow safelight, less than 0.1 mol % of its original silver ion content is reduced to silver metal.

5. The photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing composition of claim 1 , wherein P is a 6-membered N-heteroaromatic compound.

6. The photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing composition of claim 1 , wherein P is a 5- or 6-membered N-heteroaromatic compound selected from the group consisting of pyridine, 2-methylpyridine, 4-methylpyridine, 2,6-dimethylpyridine, 2,3-dimethylpyridine, 3,4-dimethylpyridine, 4-pyridylacetone, 3-chloropyridine, 3-fluoropyridine, oxazole, 4-methyloxazole, isoxazole, 3-methylisoxazole, pyrimidine, pyrazine, pyridazine, and thiazole.

7. The photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing composition of claim 1 , wherein the 5- or 6-membered N-heteroaromatic compound has an oxidation potential of at least 1.0 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE); the α-oxy carboxylate has a first oxidation potential of at least 1.2 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE); and upon decarboxylation of the α-oxy carboxylate, a second radical is generated that has an oxidation potential of less than 1.0 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE).

8. The photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing composition of claim 1 , wherein the 5- or 6-membered N-heteroaromatic compound has an oxidation potential of at least 1.5 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE).

9. The photosensitive reducible silver ion-containing composition of claim 1 , wherein:

(i) a and b are both 1 and c is 1 or 2;

(ii) a and b are both 2 and c is 2; or

(iii) a and b are both 2 and c is 4.