Color photographic element containing a fragmentable electron donor

This invention comprises a multicolor photographic element comprising a support bearing a cyan dye image-forming unit comprising at least one red-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith at least one cyan dye-forming coupler, a magenta dye image-forming unit comprising at least one green-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith at least one magenta dye-forming coupler, a yellow dye image-forming unit comprising at least one blue-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer having associated therewith at least one yellow dye-forming coupler,wherein at least one of said layers comprises large tabular grains having an average circular diameter of greater than 2 mu m and contains a fragmentable electron donating compound is of the formula: X-Y' or a compound which contains a moiety of the formula -X-Y'; wherein X is an electron donor moiety, Y' is a leaving proton H or a leaving group Y, with the proviso that if Y' is a proton, a base, beta , is covalently linked directly or indirectly to X, and wherein: 1) X-Y' has an oxidation potential between 0 and about 1.4 V; and 2) the oxidized form of X-Y' undergoes a bond cleavage reaction to give the radical X and the leaving fragment Y'; and, optionally, 3) the radical X has an oxidation potential ≤-0.7V (that is, equal to or more negative than about -0.7V).