The present invention has an object to provide a polymerizable liquid crystal composition capable of manufacturing an optically anisotropic film having excellent light fastness; and an optically anisotropic film, an optical film, a polarizing plate, an image display device, and an organic electroluminescent display device, each of which uses the polymerizable liquid crystal composition. The polymerizable liquid crystal composition of an embodiment of the present invention contains a polymerizable liquid crystal compound having reverse-wavelength dispersion properties and an ultraviolet absorber represented by Formula (1), in which a maximum absorption wavelength A of the polymerizable liquid crystal compound and a maximum absorption wavelength B of the ultraviolet absorber satisfy Formula (2), and a content of the ultraviolet absorber is 1% to 20% by mass with respect to a content of the polymerizable liquid crystal compound.

##STR00001##

A family of low-molecular-weight, main-chain thermotropic liquid-crystalline co-polyimides (TLC-CoPI) that are crosslinkable, and based on a unique, liquid-crystallinity (LC)-enabling diamine, namely, 1,3-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)cumyl]benzene (BACB) and two or more mesogenic dianhydrides, at least one of which is a diphthalic dianhydride (DPA) that contains one or more thermally reactive and crosslinkable moieties similar to that of phenylethynyl (PE) is disclosed. Processes of making and using such low-molecular-weight, main-chain thermotropic liquid-crystalline co-polyimides are also provided.

The invention relates to novel anisotropic compounds of formula ##STR00001##
as well as to liquid crystalline mixtures, films and electro-optical devices comprising the compound.

A liquid crystal composition capable of forming a liquid crystal cured layer with suppressed cissing during formation of a liquid crystal cured layer and excellent alignment properties, a liquid crystal cured layer, an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device. The liquid crystal composition includes a liquid crystal compound and a surfactant, in which the surfactant is a copolymer having a repeating unit A including two or more silicon atom-containing groups each having three substituents and a repeating unit B including two or more ring structures consisting of a cycloalkane ring or a monocyclic aromatic ring in which at least one of the ring structures consists of a monocyclic aromatic ring.

An optically anisotropic layer is formed by a liquid crystal compound represented by General Formula 1, in which the long axes of the molecules are oriented.

##STR00001##

wherein L.sub.1 and L.sub.2 independently represent a linking group having a carbonyl group; F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom; n and m independently represent an integer from 0 to 4; a and b independently represent an integer from 1 to 4; T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 independently represent a spacer portion including a straight chain or branched alkylene or alkylene oxide group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms; and Ar represents a divalent group having at least one aromatic ring selected from a group consisting of aromatic hydrocarbon rings and aromatic heterocycles, the number of electrons in the Ar group being 8 or greater.

An optically anisotropic layer is formed by a liquid crystal compound represented by General Formula 1, in which the long axes of the molecules are oriented. ##STR00001##
wherein L.sub.1 and L.sub.2 independently represent a linking group having a carbonyl group; F.sub.1 and F.sub.2 independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom; n and m independently represent an integer from 0 to 4; a and b independently represent an integer from 1 to 4; T.sub.1 and T.sub.2 independently represent a spacer portion including a straight chain or branched alkylene or alkylene oxide group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms; and Ar represents a divalent group having at least one aromatic ring selected from a group consisting of aromatic hydrocarbon rings and aromatic heterocycles, the number of electrons in the Ar group being 8 or greater.

To provide a mirror with an image display function which is capable of displaying a brighter image and has excellent view angle characteristics. A mirror with an image display function includes an image display device, a wavelength plate, and a circular polarization reflection layer in this order, the circular polarization reflection layer includes a cholesteric liquid crystal layer of which a central wavelength of a selective reflection band is positioned in a visible light region, and at least one of the wavelength plate or the circular polarization reflection layer includes a layer formed of a liquid crystal composition containing a disk-like liquid crystal compound.

A compound capable of suppressing the occurrence of alignment defects and lowering the phase transition temperature of a liquid crystal composition without impairing optical characteristics is provided. In particular, a compound represented by formula (A) is provided in which the variable groups are as defined in the specification.

##STR00001##

A liquid crystal element includes a pair of substrates disposed to face each other, a liquid crystal layer disposed between the pair of substrates, and a liquid crystal alignment layer provided on each of the liquid crystal layer sides of the pair of substrates. The liquid crystal layer includes a compound having an alkenyl structure and a compound having a terphenyl ring structure, or includes a compound having an alkenyl structure and a terphenyl ring structure in the same molecule, and the liquid crystal alignment layer is a layer comprising a liquid crystal alignment agent containing a polymer (P) which has at least one selected from the group consisting of a radical polymerizable group, a photoinitiator group, a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic ring (excluding imide rings in polyimides), an amino group and a protected amino group.

The present invention is to provide an optical film having optically anisotropic layer having excellent durability, and a polarizing plate and an image display device using the same. An optical film of the present invention is an optical film having at least an optically anisotropic layer, in which the optically anisotropic layer is a layer obtained by polymerizing a polymerizable liquid crystal composition containing a predetermined liquid crystal compound and a polymerization initiator, and an extrapolated glass transition starting temperature of the optically anisotropic layer is 70 C. or higher.