A liquid-crystal (LC) media having a negative dielectric anisotropy containing a compound of formula I ##STR00001##
and the use of the LC media for optical, electro-optical and electronic purposes, in particular in energy-efficient LC displays, especially in IPS, FFS, VA or PS-VA displays.

The invention relates to novel compositions comprising at least two anisotropic compounds of formula

##STR00001##

as well as to liquid crystalline networks, films and electro-optical devices comprising the compositions.

A liquid-crystal (LC) media having a negative dielectric anisotropy containing a compound of formula I

##STR00001##

and the use of the LC media for optical, electro-optical and electronic purposes, in particular in energy-efficient LC displays, especially in IPS, FFS, VA or PS-VA displays.

The present invention relates to polymers that include residues of at least one monomer represented by the following Formula (I). With reference to Formula (I), at least one of E1 and E2 independently is, or is independently substituted with, at least one reactive group, such as a (meth)acryloyl group. Monomers represented by Formula (I) and monomer residues thereof have alignment properties, such as photoalignment properties. The present invention also relates to alignment layers that include such polymers, and articles of manufacture, such as optical elements, that include one or more such alignment layers. ##STR00001##

A polymerizable compound has a practical low melting point, excellent solubility in a general-purpose solvent, and can produce an optical film at low cost, exhibits low reflected luminance, and achieves uniform conversion of polarized light over a wide wavelength band, an optically anisotropic article.

A liquid-crystalline medium, preferably having a nematic phase and dielectric anisotropy of 0.5 or more, which comprises one or more compounds of each of formulae T and L

##STR00001##

in which the parameters have the meanings given in the claims and in the text. The use thereof in an electro-optical display, particularly in an active-matrix display based on the IPS or FFS effect, to displays of this type which contain a liquid-crystalline medium of this type. Also, the compounds of formulae T and L and their use for the improvement of the transmission and/or response times of a liquid-crystalline medium which comprises one or more additional mesogenic compounds.

The invention relates to a liquid-crystalline medium, preferably having a nematic phase and dielectric anisotropy of 0.5 or more, which comprises one or more compounds of formula Y ##STR00001##
in which the parameters have the meanings given in the text,
to the use thereof in an electro-optical display, particularly in an active-matrix display based on the IPS or FFS effect, to displays of this type which contain a liquid-crystalline medium of this type, and to the use of the compounds of formula Y for the improvement of the transmission and/or response times of a liquid-crystalline medium which comprises one or more additional mesogenic compounds.

Provided are a liquid-crystal-medium having stability to heat, light and so forth, a wide liquid-crystal-phase temperature-range and significantly large dielectric-anisotropy and developing an optically isotropic liquid-crystal-phase; and various optical-devices used in a wide temperature-range, having short response-time, a large contrast-ratio and low drive-voltage and suppressing decrease in an effective dielectric-constant in a high-frequency range. A Liquid-crystal composition contains achiral-component T containing at least one compound selected from a first component represented by formula (1) and at least one compound selected from a second component represented by formula (2) or (3) and a chiral-agent to develop optically-isotropic liquid-crystal-phase: ##STR00001##
In formula (1), R.sup.1: alkyl, ring A.sup.1: 1,4-cyclohexylene, ring B.sup.1: 1,4-phenylene, L.sup.11 to L.sup.14: fluorine, Y.sup.1: fluorine, n.sup.1: 1 or 2, R.sup.2: alkyl, Z.sup.21 and Z.sup.22: single-bond or CF.sub.2O, L.sup.21 to L.sup.23: fluorine, Y.sup.2: fluorine, R.sup.3: alkyl, Z.sup.31 and Z.sup.32: single-bond or CF.sub.2O, L.sup.31 to L.sup.34: fluorine, Y.sup.3: fluorine, for example.

A polymerizable compound has a practical low melting point, excellent solubility in a general-purpose solvent, and can produce an optical film at low cost, exhibits low reflected luminance, and achieves uniform conversion of polarized light over a wide wavelength band, an optically anisotropic article.

A polymerizable compound has a practical low melting point, excellent solubility in a general-purpose solvent, and can produce an optical film at low cost, exhibits low reflected luminance, and achieves uniform conversion of polarized light over a wide wavelength band, an optically anisotropic article.