US 9 097 971 B2  196  195  Preferable examples of the oxime sulfonate-based acid  generator include compounds represented by general formula  (B-2) or (B-3) shown below.  [Chemical Formula 98]  (B-2)  (B-3)  In the formula (B-2)  R$^{33 }$represents a cyano group  an alkyl  group having no substituent or a halogenated alkyl group; R 34  represents an aryl group; and R$^{35 }$represents an alkyl group  having no substituent or a halogenated alkyl group.  In general formula (B-3)  as the alkyl group having no  substituent and the halogenated alkyl group for R 36   the same  alkyl group having no substituent and the halogenated alkyl  group described above for R$^{33 }$can be used.  [Chemical Formula 99]  In the formula (B-3)  R$^{36 }$represents a cyano group  an alkyl  group having no substituent or a halogenated alkyl group; R 37  represents a divalent or trivalent aromatic hydrocarbon group;  R$^{38 }$represents an alkyl group having no substituent or a  halogenated alkyl group; and p" represents 2 or 3.  In general formula (B-2)  the alkyl group having no sub› stituent or the halogenated alkyl group for R$^{33 }$preferably has  1 to 10 carbon atoms  more preferably 1 to 8 carbon atoms   and most preferably 1 to 6 carbon atoms.  As R 33   a halogenated alkyl group is preferable  and a  fluorinated alkyl group is more preferable.  The fluorinated alkyl group for R$^{33 }$preferably has 50% or  more of the hydrogen atoms thereof fluorinated  more pref› erably 70% or more  and most preferably 90% or more.  Examples of the aryl group for R$^{34 }$include groups in which  one hydrogen atom has been removed from an aromatic  hydrocarbon ring  such as a phenyl group  a biphenyl group   a fluorenyl group  a naphthyl group  an anthryl group  and a  phenantryl group  andheteroaryl groups in which some of the  carbon atoms constituting the ring(s) of these groups are  substituted with hetero atoms such as an oxygen atom  a  sulfur atom  and a nitrogen atom. Of these  a fluorenyl group  is preferable.  The aryl group for R$^{34 }$may have a substituent such as an  alkyl group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms  a halogenated alkyl  group  or an alkoxy group. The alkyl group and halogenated  alkyl group as the substituent preferably has 1 to 8 carbon  atoms  and more preferably 1 to 4 carbon atoms. Further  the  halogenated alkyl group is preferably a fluorinated alkyl  group.  The alkyl group having no substituent or the halogenated  alkyl group for R$^{35 }$preferably has 1 to 10 carbon atoms  more  preferably 1 to 8 carbon atoms  and most preferably 1 to 6  carbon atoms.  As R 35   a halogenated alkyl group is preferable  and a  fluorinated alkyl group is more preferable.  In terms of enhancing the strength of the acid generated   the fluorinated alkyl group for R$^{35 }$preferably has 50% or  more of the hydrogen atoms fluorinated  more preferably  70% or more  still more preferably 90% or more. A com› pletely fluorinated alkyl group in which 100% of the hydro› gen atoms are substituted with fluorine atoms is particularly  desirable.  Furthermore  as preferable examples  the following can be  used.  Further  oxime sulfonate-based acid generators disclosed  in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application  First Publica› tion No. Hei 9-208554 (Chemical Formulas 18 and 19 shown  in paragraphs [0012] to [0014]) and oxime sulfonate-based  acid generators disclosed in WO 2004/074242A2 (Examples  1 to 40 described at pages 65 to 86) may be preferably used.  p" is preferably 2.  Specific examples of suitable oxime sulfonate-based acid  generators include a-(p-toluenesulfonyloxyimino )-benzyl  cyanide  a-(p-chlorobenzenesulfonyloxyimino )-benzyl cya› nide  a-( 4-nitrobenzenesulfonyloxyimino )-benzyl cyanide   a-( 4-nitro-2-trifluoromethy lbenzenesulfony loxyimino )- benzyl cyanide  a-(benzenesulfonyloxyimino )-4-chloroben› zyl cyanide  a-(benzenesulfonyloxyimino )-2 4-dichloroben› zyl  cyanide   a-(benzenesulfonyloxyimino )-2 6- dichlorobenzyl cyanide  a-(benzenesulfonyloxyimino )-4- methoxybenzyl  cyanide   a-(2- chloro benzenesulfony loxyimino )-4-methoxybenzy 1  cyanide  a-(benzenesulfonyloxyimino )-thien-2-yl acetoni› trile   a-( 4-dodecylbenzenesulfonyloxyimino )benzyl  cya› nide  a-[ (p-toluenesulfony loxyimino )-4-methoxypheny l] ac- etonitrile   a-[ ( dodecylbenzenesulfonyloxyimino )-4- methoxypheny l] acetonitrile   a-( tosy loxyimino )-4-thieny 1  cyanide   a-(methylsulfonyloxyimino )-1-cyclopentenyl  acetonitrile   a-( methy lsulfony loxyimino )-1-cyclohexeny 1  acetonitrile   a-(methylsulfonyloxyimino )-1-cycloheptenyl  acetonitrile   a-(methylsulfonyloxyimino )-1-cyclooctenyl  acetonitrile   a-(trifluoromethylsulfonyloxyimino )-1-cyclo› pentenyl acetonitrile  a-(trifluoromethylsulfonyloxyimino )› cyclohexyl  acetonitrile   a-( ethylsulfonyloxyimino )-ethyl  acetonitrile  a-(propyl sulfonyloxyimino)-propyl acetoni› trile  a-( cyclohexylsulfonyloxyimino )-cyclopentyl acetoni- trile  a-( cyclohexylsulfonyloxyimino )-cyclohexyl acetoni› trile   a-( cyclohexylsulfonyloxyimino )-1-cyclopentenyl  acetonitrile   a-( ethylsulfonyloxyimino )-1-cyclopentenyl  acetonitrile   a-(isopropylsulfonyloxyimino )-1-cyclopente› nyl acetonitrile  a-(n-butylsulfonyloxyimino )-1-cyclopente- nyl acetonitrile  a-( ethylsulfonyloxyimino )-1-cyclohexenyl  acetonitrile  a-(isopropylsulfonyloxyimino )-1-cyclohexenyl  acetonitrile   a-( n-buty lsulfony loxyimino )-1-cyclohexeny 1  acetonitrile  a-(methylsulfonyloxyimino )-phenyl acetoni- trile  a-(methylsulfonyloxyimino )-p-methoxyphenyl aceto› nitrile  a-(trifluoromethylsulfonyloxyimino )-phenyl acetoni- trile   a-(trifluoromethylsulfonyloxyimino )-p- methoxyphenyl acetonitrile  a-( ethylsulfonyloxyimino )-p› methoxyphenyl acetonitrile  a-(propylsulfonyloxyimino )-p› methylphenyl  acetonitrile   and  a-(methyl  sulfonyl  oxyimino )-p-bromophenyl acetonitrile.  Examples of the divalent or trivalent aromatic hydrocarbon  group for R$^{37 }$include groups in which one or two hydrogen  atoms have been removed from the aryl group for R 34 .  As the alkyl group having no substituent or the halogenated  alkyl group for R 38   the same one as the alkyl group having no  substituent or the halogenated alkyl group for R 35  can be  used. 