The invention relates to compounds of the formula I,

##STR00001##

in which
R, A, n, L.sup.1, L.sup.2, L.sup.3 and X have the meanings given in Claim 1, to a process for their preparation, and to liquid-crystalline media comprising at least one compound of the formula I and electro-optical displays containing a liquid-crystalline medium of this type.

Provided are an optically anisotropic film which has excellent moisture-heat resistance and can have a reduction in the thickness, an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device. The optically anisotropic film is obtained by polymerizing a polymerizable liquid crystal composition, in which the polymerizable liquid crystal composition contains a polymerizable liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (1): L.sup.1-SP.sup.1-(E.sup.3-A.sup.1).sub.m-E.sup.1-G.sup.1-D.sup.1-Ar.sup.1-D.sup.2-G.sup.2-E.sup.2-(A.sup.2-E.sup.4).sub.n-SP.sup.2-L.sup.2 and a polymerizable liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (2): L.sup.1-SP.sup.1-(E.sup.3-A.sup.1).sub.m-E.sup.1-G.sup.1-D.sup.1-Ar.sup.2-D.sup.2-G.sup.2-E.sup.2-(A.sup.2-E.sup.4).sub.n-SP.sup.2-L.sup.2, and the optically anisotropic film satisfies Formula (3): Re(450)/Re(550)<1 or Formula (4): Rth(450)/Rth(550)<1, and has a degree of alignment as measured by Raman spectroscopy of 0.4 or more.

Provided are an optically anisotropic film which has excellent moisture-heat resistance and can have a reduction in the thickness, an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device. The optically anisotropic film is obtained by polymerizing a polymerizable liquid crystal composition, in which the polymerizable liquid crystal composition contains a polymerizable liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (1): L.sup.1-SP.sup.1-(E.sup.3-A.sup.1).sub.m-E.sup.1-G.sup.1-D.sup.1-Ar.sup.1-D.sup.2-G.sup.2-E.sup.2-(A.sup.2-E.sup.4).sub.n-SP.sup.2-L.sup.2 and a polymerizable liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (2): L.sup.1-SP.sup.1-(E.sup.3-A.sup.1).sub.m-E.sup.1-G.sup.1-D.sup.1-Ar.sup.2-D.sup.2-G.sup.2-E.sup.2-(A.sup.2-E.sup.4).sub.n-SP.sup.2-L.sup.2, and the optically anisotropic film satisfies Formula (3): Re(450)/Re(550)<1 or Formula (4): Rth(450)/Rth(550)<1, and has a degree of alignment as measured by Raman spectroscopy of 0.4 or more.

Provided is an organic electroluminescent display device having excellent thermal durability including, in order from a visual recognition side, at least a circularly polarizing plate, and an organic electroluminescent display element having a pair of electrodes and an organic light emitting layer sandwiched therebetween, in which the circularly polarizing plate has a polarizer and an optically anisotropic layer, the polarizer having a thickness of 10 μm or less and containing a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin, or having a dichroic organic coloring agent, the optically anisotropic layer being formed of a composition containing a polymerizable liquid crystal compound exhibiting reverse wavelength dispersibility, a silicon nitride layer being included between the circularly polarizing plate and the organic electroluminescent display element, and the circularly polarizing plate being disposed between two substrates having a moisture permeability of 1 g/m2.Math.day or less, and one of the low moisture permeability substrates is the silicon nitride layer.

Provided is an organic electroluminescent display device having excellent thermal durability including, in order from a visual recognition side, at least a circularly polarizing plate, and an organic electroluminescent display element having a pair of electrodes and an organic light emitting layer sandwiched therebetween, in which the circularly polarizing plate has a polarizer and an optically anisotropic layer, the polarizer having a thickness of 10 μm or less and containing a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin, or having a dichroic organic coloring agent, the optically anisotropic layer being formed of a composition containing a polymerizable liquid crystal compound exhibiting reverse wavelength dispersibility, a silicon nitride layer being included between the circularly polarizing plate and the organic electroluminescent display element, and the circularly polarizing plate being disposed between two substrates having a moisture permeability of 1 g/m2.Math.day or less, and one of the low moisture permeability substrates is the silicon nitride layer.

Polyfluorinated additives for use as components in liquid-crystal mixtures. Liquid-crystal mixtures which comprise these compounds. And liquid-crystal displays based on these liquid-crystal mixtures.

Polyfluorinated additives for use as components in liquid-crystal mixtures. Liquid-crystal mixtures which comprise these compounds. And liquid-crystal displays based on these liquid-crystal mixtures.

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.

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 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.