The polymerizable liquid crystal compound has reverse wavelength dispersion or low wavelength dispersion and has high solubility in various solvents. The polymerizable liquid crystal compound provides an optically anisotropic body having high adhesiveness to substrates (or alignment films), by adding the polymerizable liquid crystal compound to a polymerizable composition and polymerizing the polymerizable composition using ultraviolet light. The invention provides a polymerizable composition containing the polymerizable liquid crystal compound having reverse wavelength dispersion or low wavelength dispersion, a polymer obtained by polymerizing the polymerizable composition, and an optically anisotropic body using the polymer. The present invention provides a polymerizable low wavelength dispersion or polymerizable reverse wavelength dispersion compound having in the molecule a partial structure represented by the general formula (AO-1); and also provides a composition containing the compound, a polymer obtained by polymerizing the composition, and an optically anisotropic body and the like using the polymer. ##STR00001##

Provided are an alignment aid that sufficiently exerts an alignment control force causing liquid crystal molecules to be vertically aligned and can reduce a change in pretilt angle over time, a liquid crystal composition containing the alignment aid, and a liquid crystal display device. The alignment aid of the present invention has the function of causing the liquid crystal molecules to be aligned spontaneously. In the light absorption spectrum of the alignment aid, the longest wavelength at which the absorbance is 0.5 is 330 nm or shorter. Preferably, the light absorption spectrum is measured on a solution prepared by dissolving the alignment aid in tetrahydrofuran at a concentration of 1000 ppm.

The present invention provides a liquid crystal composition formed by combining a polymerizable compound represented by formula I with a specific liquid crystal component, particularly a PSVA liquid crystal composition for displays or TV applications and a PSA-IPS liquid crystal composition for an IPS mode, and a liquid crystal display element or liquid crystal display comprising this liquid crystal composition; in particular, the polymerizable compound has a faster polymerization rate, and a “material system” formed from the selected polymerizable component and liquid crystal component should have the lowest rotary viscosity and the best photoelectric properties, and has a high VHR after (UV) photoradiation, this avoiding the problem of the occurrence of residual images to final displays. ##STR00001##

Polymerisable compounds, processes and intermediates for the preparation thereof, liquid-crystal (LC) media comprising them, and the use of the polymerisable compounds and LC media for optical, electro-optical and electronic purposes, in particular in LC displays, especially in LC displays of the polymer sustained alignment type.

A double layer liquid crystal device comprises a first and a second layer with orthogonal or crossed alignment of the liquid crystal phase of the two layers, in which the first and second layer have first and second alignment aids comprised of a polymerized or polymerizable molecular compound. The layers are aligned by UV photoalignment and vertical self-alignment by the aid of suitable additives.

A liquid-crystalline medium which comprises at least one compound selected from the group of compounds of the formulae IA to IH, ##STR00001##
in which Z.sup.1 denotes a single bond, —CH.sub.2CH.sub.2—, —CH═CH—, —CH.sub.2O—, —OCH.sub.2—, —CF.sub.2O—, —OCF.sub.2—, —COO—, —OCO—, —C.sub.2F.sub.4—, —(CH.sub.2).sub.4—, —CHFCHF—, —CF.sub.2CH.sub.2—, —CH.sub.2CF.sub.2—, —C≡C—, —CF═CF—, —CH═CHCHO— or —CH.sub.2CF.sub.2O—,
and the use thereof for an active-matrix display, in particular based on the VA, PSA, PS-VA, PALC, FFS, PS-FFS, SA-VA, PS-IPS or IPS effect.

The present invention provides a liquid crystal display device that includes: a pair of substrates; a liquid crystal layer held between the substrates; an alignment film disposed on a liquid crystal layer side surface of at least one of the substrates; and a polymer layer disposed between the liquid crystal layer and the alignment film, the liquid crystal layer containing liquid crystal compounds aligned in a predetermined direction with no voltage applied, the alignment film containing a first polymer containing in its main chain at least one selected from a polyamic acid structure and a polyimide structure, the first polymer containing a functional group that functions as a polymerization initiator, the polymer layer containing a second polymer obtained by polymerizing at least one monomer containing a chalcone group.

Provide are a liquid crystal compound represented by formula I, and a liquid crystal mixture comprising the compound ##STR00001## A lateral trifluoromethyl-containing liquid crystal compound having the structural characteristics of Formula I not only has a negative dielectric anisotropy (Δε), an appropriate optical anisotropy (Δn), a higher clearing point (CP), a prominent low-temperature miscibility with other liquid crystals, and a low rotary viscosity (γ1), but also has a good stability to UV and high temperatures, particularly, a negative dielectric anisotropy. Same can be applied to the formulation of liquid crystal compositions of positive and negative types, and it is particularly prominent that same has the advantages of a good solubility at low temperatures and a high transmittance.

The invention relates to a liquid-crystalline medium which contains at least two polymerisable compounds or reactive mesogens (RM) and at least one compound selected from the group of compounds of the formula IIA, IIB and IIC, ##STR00001##
in which R.sup.2A, R.sup.2B, R.sup.2C, L.sup.1-6, ring B, Z.sup.2, Z.sup.2, p, q and v have the meanings indicated in Claim 1,
and to the use thereof for an active-matrix display, in particular based on the VA, PSA, PS-VA, PALC, FFS, PS-FFS, IPS or PS-IPS effect, especially for the use in LC displays of the PS (polymer stabilised) or PSA (polymer sustained alignment) type.

A polymerizable compound-containing liquid crystal composition of the present invention relates to a liquid crystal composition containing a polymerizable compound represented by general formula (I) and a compound represented by general formula (II) and can be used for a liquid crystal display device imparted with liquid crystal aligning ability by polymerization. The polymerizable liquid crystal composition is required to cause no precipitation in a wide temperature range and have a low viscosity corresponding to fast switching, and a liquid crystal display device using the composition is required to have more stable alignment after polymerization and to cause no defect in display characteristics. In the present invention, the problems can be solved using a specified compound.