A photosensitive printing element comprising a support; and a
photopolymerizable layer comprising a photopolymerizable composition
comprising at least one elastomeric binder, at least one monomer, an
initiator having sensitivity to actinic radiation, and at least one
photobleachable compound having sensitivity to actinic radiation; is
described. Preferred photobleachable compounds are unsubstituted or
substituted naphthylvinyl pyridines; unsubstituted or substituted
styrylquinolines; diphenyl maleic anhydride; isomers of any of the
foregoing; derivatives of any of the foregoing; and any combination of the
foregoing. Such photosensitive printing elements are used to prepare
flexographic printing plates and are useful in enhancing resolution and
differentiating image areas from non-image areas in images produced
therefrom by reducing the deleterious effect of scattered light.
