An acid generating agent useful for imaging photosensitive elements selected from compounds of formulae (I), (II) and (III). wherein R1 is selected from the group consisting of an unsubstituted and substituted hydrocarbon or aryl group; wherein X is selected from the group consisting of oxygen, sulfur and selenium; wherein Y is selected from the group consisting of sulfur, selenium and tellurium; wherein Ar1 is selected from the group consisting of an unsubstituted and substituted aryl group; wherein R2, R3 and R4 are individually selected from the group consisting of an unsubstituted and substituted hydrocarbon or aryl group or any two of them are bonded together to form a ring structure; and wherein R5 and R6 are individually selected from the group of an unsubstituted and substituted hydrocarbon or aryl group, or are bonded to each other to form a ring structure.