A method of preparing a washout photographic coupler comprising a coupler moiety (COUP) containing a substituted or unsubstituted ballasted releasing group (A) selected from aryloxy, thioaryloxy, heterocyclicoxy, and thioheterocyclicoxy releasing groups having attached thereto a phenoxy timing group containing a photographically useful group (PUG), the releasing group capable of elimination electron transfer to release the timing group, the method comprising:(a) providing a coupler moiety (COUP) having the releasing group (A) in a coupling off position, the releasing group (A) having on at least one of the 2- or 4-position a substituted or unsubstituted halomethyl;(b) reacting a substituted or unsubstituted hydroxyaryl aldehyde or hydroxyaryl ketone with the halomethyl group of step (a) in the presence of an alkylpyridine and a dipolar aprotic solvent to form a first product; and(c) reducing the first product and halogenating the reduced first product before reacting with a photographically useful group to form the washout photographic coupler.