A quencher is disclosed having a compound represented by the following general formula (1):

##STR00001##

wherein R.sub.5 each independently represent a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkylthio group, an amino group having a substituent or not having a substituent, a hydroxy group, an aryl group, an aryloxy group, or an arylalkyl group; R.sub.6 represents a group having a polymerizable unsaturated group, a hydroxy group, or the like; Y.sub.1 represents an oxygen atom, or the like; An.sup.− represents an anion; Ar.sub.1 represents a specific ring structure; * and ** represent binding positions; Ar.sub.2 represents a benzene ring, a naphthalene ring, or an anthracene ring; n.sub.1 represents a specific integer;
and the following structure (1-10) in the general formula (1) is an asymmetric structure;

##STR00002##

(wherein R.sub.5, Y.sub.1, Ar.sub.1, Ar.sub.2, n.sub.1, * and ** are the same as described above.).

The present invention provides a laminate and an image display device, in which alignment defects of a liquid crystal layer provided on an optical alignment layer are suppressed. The laminate includes an optical alignment layer and a liquid crystal layer provided on the optical alignment layer. In the laminate, the liquid crystal layer is formed from a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystal compound and a surfactant, and the liquid crystal compound is immobilized in a horizontal alignment state, and the surfactant is a copolymer having a repeating unit containing a fluorinated alkyl group and having a repeating unit containing a mesogenic group.

The present invention provides a polymerizable compound that reduces, for example, the likelihood of crystals precipitating in a polymerizable composition including the polymerizable compound and enables the polymerizable composition to have high preservation stability and a polymerizable composition including the polymerizable compound which reduces the likelihood of inconsistencies being formed in a film-like polymer produced by polymerizing the polymerizable composition. Also provided are a polymer-produced by polymerizing the polymerizable composition and an optically anisotropic body including the polymer. The present invention provides the compound represented by General Formula (I), a composition including the compound, a polymer produced by polymerizing the composition, and an optically anisotropic body including the polymer.

The present invention provides a polymerizable compound that reduces, for example, the likelihood of crystals precipitating in a polymerizable composition including the polymerizable compound and enables the polymerizable composition to have high preservation stability and a polymerizable composition including the polymerizable compound which reduces the likelihood of inconsistencies being formed in a film-like polymer produced by polymerizing the polymerizable composition. Also provided are a polymer-produced by polymerizing the polymerizable composition and an optically anisotropic body including the polymer. The present invention provides the compound represented by General Formula (I), a composition including the compound, a polymer produced by polymerizing the composition, and an optically anisotropic body including the polymer.

A transparent body production method that includes subjecting the compound represented by formula (1) to heating at a temperature equal to or greater than the melting point of said compound. In formula (1), each of W.sup.1 and W.sup.2 is the group represented by formula (2) in which the ring Z is an aromatic hydrocarbon ring, X is a single bond or —S—, R.sup.1 is a single bond or an alkylene group having 1-4 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 is a specific substituent, and m is an integer of 0 or higher, the group represented by formula (4) is —OH— or a (meth)acryloyloxy group, each of the rings Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 is an aromatic hydrocarbon ring, R is a single bond or a specific divalent group, each of R.sup.3a and R.sup.3b is —CN, a halogen group, or a monovalent hydrocarbon group, and each of n1 and n2 is an integer of 0-4.

A transparent body production method that includes subjecting the compound represented by formula (1) to heating at a temperature equal to or greater than the melting point of said compound. In formula (1), each of W.sup.1 and W.sup.2 is the group represented by formula (2) in which the ring Z is an aromatic hydrocarbon ring, X is a single bond or —S—, R.sup.1 is a single bond or an alkylene group having 1-4 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 is a specific substituent, and m is an integer of 0 or higher, the group represented by formula (4) is —OH— or a (meth)acryloyloxy group, each of the rings Y.sup.1 and Y.sup.2 is an aromatic hydrocarbon ring, R is a single bond or a specific divalent group, each of R.sup.3a and R.sup.3b is —CN, a halogen group, or a monovalent hydrocarbon group, and each of n1 and n2 is an integer of 0-4.

Provided are: a polymerizable monomer excellent in mechanical strength of its cured product and excellent also in handling property with low viscosity even under a room temperature environment, specifically, a polymerizable monomer, which is represented by the following general formula (1):

##STR00001##

in the general formula (1), Ar.sup.1 and Ar.sup.2 each represent an aromatic group having a valence selected from divalence to tetravalence, L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 each represent a divalent hydrocarbon group having a main chain with a number of atoms within a range of from 2 to 10 and containing at least one hydroxy group, and may be identical to or different from each other, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each represent hydrogen or a methyl group, q represents 0 or 1, and m1 and m2 each represent 1 or 2; and a method of producing the polymerizable monomer, a curable composition and a resin member each using the polymerizable monomer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a compound having an excellent rate of change in HTP caused by exposure. Another object of the present invention is to provide a composition formed of the compound, a cured product, an optically anisotropic body, and a reflective film.

The compound of the present invention is a compound represented by General Formula (1).

##STR00001##

The present invention relates to a polymer composition which contains (A) a photosensitive side-chain polymer that exhibits liquid crystallinity in a predetermined temperature range and has a repeating unit comprising a vertically aligning group, and (B) an organic solvent. The present invention provides: a liquid crystal alignment film which has excellent tilt angle characteristics, while being provided with alignment controllability with high efficiency; a polymer composition which enables the achievement of this liquid crystal alignment film; a twisted nematic liquid crystal display element; and a vertical field switching mode liquid crystal display element.

The present invention relates to a polymer composition which contains (A) a photosensitive side-chain polymer that exhibits liquid crystallinity in a predetermined temperature range and has a repeating unit comprising a vertically aligning group, and (B) an organic solvent. The present invention provides: a liquid crystal alignment film which has excellent tilt angle characteristics, while being provided with alignment controllability with high efficiency; a polymer composition which enables the achievement of this liquid crystal alignment film; a twisted nematic liquid crystal display element; and a vertical field switching mode liquid crystal display element.