The photographic process of 'infectious development'in which 1-acyl-2-arylhydrazines reduce Ag (I) has been studied using analogues. 1-Acyl-2-aryldiazenes, resulting from oxidation of 1-acyl-2-arylhydrazines, are hydrolysed to anions of aryldiazenes (ArN= NH), which undergo further oxidation with loss of nitrogen to yield aryl radicals. The aryl radicals cause 'feedback inhibition'which is prevented by the addition of benzhydrol.