There is provided a polymerizable composition, by which discoloration or alignment defects are less likely to occur when a filmy polymer, which is obtained by adding a polymerizable compound to the polymerizable composition and polymerizing this composition, is irradiated with ultraviolet light. There are also provided a polymer obtained by polymerizing the polymerizable composition, and an optically anisotropic body using the polymer. The present invention provides a polymerizable low-wavelength dispersive or polymerizable reverse-wavelength dispersive compound having a partial structure represented by Formula (Z-0). Further, the present invention provides a composition containing the compound; a polymer obtained by polymerizing the composition; and an optically anisotropic body obtained by using the polymer.

##STR00001##

A family of low-molecular-weight, main-chain thermotropic liquid-crystalline polyimides (TLC-PI) that are crosslinkable is disclosed. These all-aromatic TLC-PI are derived from (i) wholly aromatic and flexible diamine monomers, in which the linkage between the two aniline-ends contains a relatively high heat-tolerant but flexible chain constituted by two or more units of 1,4-phenoxy or 1,3-phenoxy or in combinations of both. Processes of making and using such all-aromatic TLC-PI is also provided.

A family of low-molecular-weight, main-chain thermotropic liquid-crystalline polyimides (TLC-PI) that are crosslinkable is disclosed. These all-aromatic TLC-PI are derived from (i) wholly aromatic and flexible diamine monomers, in which the linkage between the two aniline-ends contains a relatively high heat-tolerant but flexible chain constituted by two or more units of 1,4-phenoxy or 1,3-phenoxy or in combinations of both. Processes of making and using such all-aromatic TLC-PI is also provided.

The present invention provides a polymerizable cholesteric liquid crystal composition containing: one or two or more polymerizable liquid crystal compounds (I) having two or more polymerizable functional groups in the molecule; a chiral compound (III); a polymerization initiator (IV); optionally a non-silicon compound (V) having a repeating unit; and optionally one or two or more polymerizable liquid crystal compounds (II) having one polymerizable functional group. An optically anisotropic body formed from a polymerizable liquid crystal composition according to the present invention is also provided.

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.

A liquid crystal display is provided. The liquid crystal display includes a first substrate; a second substrate facing the first substrate; an alignment layer disposed on at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate; a liquid crystal layer disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a reactive mesogen included in the liquid crystal layer and represented by Chemical Formula 1. ##STR00001##

An electro-polarizable compound has the following general formula:

##STR00001##

Core1 is an aromatic polycyclic conjugated molecule having two-dimensional flat form and that self-assembles to form supramolecular structures. R1 are electron donor groups connected to Core1 and R1 are electron acceptor groups connected to Corel, m is number of acceptor groups R1, m is a number of donor groups R. The numbers m and m are equal to 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, but both m and m are not both equal to 0. R2 is a substituent comprising one or more ionic groups connected to Core1 directly or via a connecting group; a number p of ionic groups R2 is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4. The fragment marked NLE has a nonlinear effect of polarization. Core2 is a self-assembling electro-conductive oligomer, a number n of the such oligomers is 0, 2, or 4. R3 is a substituent comprising one or more ionic groups connected to Core2; a number s of the ionic groups R3 is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4. R4 is a resistive substituent electrically insulating the supramolecular structures from each other. A number k of substituents R4 is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8.

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##

The invention provides photopolymerisable or photocrosslinkable reactive mesogen for forming a hole-transporting or light emitting polymer network, said mesogen having the structure (III) wherein M is a chromophoric aromatic or heterocyclic moiety; A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 are carbazole groups substituted in the 3-position of the carbazole ring, and may be the same or different; S.sub.1 and S.sub.2 are spacers, and may be the same or different; B.sub.1 and B.sub.2 are polymerisable groups, and may be the same or different; and m and n are independently integers from 1 to 10. The invention also provides a material for forming a light emitting or charge transporting polymer network comprising the photopolymerisable or photocrosslinkable reactive mesogen, a charge transporting or light emitting polymer network which is obtained by polymerisation or crosslinking of the mesogen, a process for the preparation of the polymer via photopolymerisation or photocrosslinking of suitable end-groups of the mesogen, a device comprising a polymer layer formed from the charge transporting or light emitting polymer network, a process for applying a charge transporting or light emitting polymer network to a surface and a backlight or display comprising a charge transporting or light emitting polymer network.

The polymerizable composition prevents precipitation and the like of crystals and has high storage stability. A polymer compound is added to the polymerizable composition. In a case where a film-shaped polymer obtained by polymerizing the polymerizable composition is prepared, a tilt angle formed with an air interface is small, and glances of reflected light when a circularly polarizing plate is obtained by combining the polymer with a polarizing plate are removed. In addition, there is provided a polymer obtained by polymerizing the polymerizable composition, and an optically anisotropic body using the polymer. The polymerizable composition includes a reverse dispersible compound represented by General Formula (I), and a compound represented by General Formula (II).