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substituted with the above-described group) represented by Ra include the same groups as those of the specific examples described for R$_{6}$ . 

[0403] Specific examples of a particularly preferable com› pound (C) in the present invention include the compound disclosed in paragraph "0475" of US2012/0135348Al, but the present invention is not limited thereto. 

[0404] The compound represented by General Formula (6) can be synthesized according to JP2007-298569A or JP2009- 199021A. 

[0405] In the present invention, the low molecular weight compound (C) having a group leaving due to the action of an acid on the nitrogen atom can be used alone or in a mixture of two or more types thereof. 

[0406] The content of the compound (C) in the active light› sensitive or radiation-sensitive resin composition of the present invention is preferably 0.001 % by mass to 20% by mass, more preferably 0.001 % by mass to 10% by mass, and still more preferably 0.01 % by mass to 5% by mass, based on the total solid content in the composition. 

[0407] A basic compound (hereinafter, also referred to as a "compound (PA)") of which the basicity is reduced or lost by irradiation with active light or radiation is a compound which has a proton-accepting functional group and in which the proton-acceptibility is reduced or lost, or which is changed from being proton-accepting to being acidic, by being decom› posed by irradiation with active light or radiation, as a basic compound. 

[0408] The proton-accepting functional group is a group which can electrostatically interact with a proton or a func› tional group having an electron, and, for example, means a functional group having a macrocyclic structure such as cyclic polyether or a functional group having a nitrogen atom having an unshared electron pair not contributing to it-con› jugation. The nitrogen atom having an unshared electron pair not contributing to it-conjugation, for example, is a nitrogen atom having a substructure shown in the following formula. 

<img src='content_image/932206.jpg'>

[0409] Examples of a preferable substructure of the proton› accepting functional group include a crown ether structure, an aza-crown ether structure, a primary to tertiary amine struc› ture, a pyridine structure, an imidazole structure, and a pyra› zine structure. 

[0410] The compound (PA) generates a compound in which the proton-acceptibility is reduced or lost, or which is changed from being proton-accepting to being acidic, by being decomposed by irradiation with active light or radia› tion. The reduction or loss of proton-acceptibility or the change from being proton-accepting to being acidic described here is a change in proton-acceptibility caused by addition of a proton to a proton-accepting functional group, and specifically, it means that, when a proton adduct is gen› erated from the compound (PA) having a proton-accepting functional group and a proton, the equilibrium constant in the chemical equilibrium is reduced. 

[0411] The proton-acceptibility can be confirmed by per› forming pH measurement. 

[0412] In the present invention, the acid dissociation con› stant pKa of a compound generated by decomposition of the compound (PA) by irradiation with active light or radiation preferably satisfies pKa<-1, more preferably satisfies - l 3<pKa<-l, and still more preferably satisfies -13<pKa<- 3. 

[0413] In the present invention, the acid dissociation con› stant pKa represents an acid dissociation constant pKa in an aqueous solution, and for example, it is described in Chemical Handbook (II) (revised 4th edition, 1993, edited by The Chemical Society of Japan, published by Maruzen Co., Ltd.), and a smaller value means higher acidity. Specifically, the acid dissociation constant pKa in an aqueous solution can be obtained by measuring the acid dissociation constant at 25° C. using an infinite dilution aqueous solution, and a value based on the database of Hammett substituent constants and known literature values can also be determined by calculation using the following software package 1. All of pKa values described in the present specification are values determined by calcula› tion using this software package. 

[0414] Software Package 1: Advanced Chemistry Develop› ment (ACD/Labs) Software VS.14 for Solaris (1994-2007 ACD/Labs). 

[0415] The compound (PA) generates, for example, a com› pound represented by the following General Formula (PA-1) as the above-described proton adduct generated by being decomposed by irradiation with active light or radiation. The compound represented by General Formula (PA-1) is a com› pound in which the proton-acceptibility is reduced or lost or which is changed from being proton-accepting to being acidic, by having a proton-accepting functional group and an acid group, compared to the compound (PA). 

<img src='content_image/932197.jpg'>

[0416] In General Formula (PA-1), Q represents -SO$_{3}$H, ----CO$_{2}$H, or -W$_{1}$NHW$_{2}$Rf’ Here, Rf represents an alkyl group (preferably having 1 to 20 carbon atoms), a cycloalkyl group (preferably having 3 to 20 carbon atoms), or an aryl group (preferably having 6 to 30 carbon atoms), and each of W $_{1 }$ and W $_{2 }$ independently represents -SO$_{2}$ - or --CO-. 

[0417] A represents a single bond or a divalent connecting group. 

[0418] X represents -SO$_{2}$ - or --CO-. 

[0419] n represents O or 1. 

[0420] B represents a single bond, an oxygen atom, or -N(Rx)Ry-• Here, Rx represents a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group, and RY represents a single bond or a divalent organic group. Rx may be bonded to RY to form a ring, or may be bonded to R to form a ring. 

[0421] R represents a monovalent organic group having a proton-accepting functional group. 

[0422] General Formula (PA-1) will be described in more detail. 

[0423] The divalent connecting group represented by A is preferably a divalent organic group having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, and examples thereof include an alkylene group and a phenylene group. The divalent connecting group is more pref› erably an alkylene group having at least one fluorine atom, and preferably has 2 to 6 carbon atoms, and more preferably has 2 to 4 carbon atoms. A connecting group such as an oxygen atom or a sulfur atom may be included in the alky lene chain. In particular, the alkylene group is preferably an alky- 

