LIQUID CRYSTAL COMPOSITION, LIQUID CRYSTAL COMPOUND, LIQUID CRYSTAL CURED LAYER, OPTICAL FILM, POLARIZING PLATE, AND IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal composition in which precipitability of a liquid crystal compound is suppressed, a liquid crystal compound, a liquid crystal cured layer, an optical film, a polarizing plate, and an image display device. The liquid crystal composition of the present invention contains a first liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (1) and a second liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (2), in which both the first liquid crystal compound and the second liquid crystal compound have a maximal absorption wavelength in a wavelength range of 280 to 420 nm.

##STR00001##

Claims

1. A liquid crystal composition comprising: a first liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (1); and a second liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (2), wherein both the first liquid crystal compound and the second liquid crystal compound have a maximal absorption wavelength in a wavelength range of 280 to 420 nm, ##STR00028## in Formulae (1) and (2), M represents a divalent mesogen skeleton having three or more rings of aromatic rings and aliphatic rings, which may have a substituent, where M in Formulae (1) and (2) represents the same group as each other, SP.sup.1 represents a single bond or a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the aliphatic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, NH, N(Q)-, or CO, Q represents a substituent, SP.sup.1 in Formulae (1) and (2) represents the same group as each other, SP.sup.2 represents a single bond or a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the aliphatic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, NH, N(Q)-, or CO, Q represents a substituent, SP.sup.2 in Formulae (1) and (2) represents the same group as each other, L.sup.1 represents a polymerizable group, where L.sup.1 in Formulae (1) and (2) represents the same group as each other, L.sup.2 represents a polymerizable group, and T represents a hydroxy group, a halogen atom, an alkylcarbonyloxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a substituent represented by Formula (3) or (4), ##STR00029## in Formulae (3) and (4), * represents a bonding position to SP.sup.2, X.sup. represents a counter anion, R.sup.T1 to R.sup.T3 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the alkyl group may be replaced with O, S, NH, N(Q)-, or CO, Q represents a substituent, and two or three of R.sup.T1 to R.sup.T3 may be bonded to each other to form a ring, R.sup.T4 and R.sup.T5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the alkyl group may be replaced with O, S, NH, N(Q)-, or CO, Q represents a substituent, and A represents a 5-membered or 6-membered nitrogen-containing aromatic ring which may have a substituent.

2. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 1, wherein M in Formulae (1) and (2) represents a divalent mesogen skeleton represented by Formula (5), ##STR00030## in Formula (5), * represents a bonding position to SP.sup.1 or SP.sup.2, B.sup.1 and B.sup.2 each independently represent an aromatic ring having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, or a divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 5 to 20 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the alicyclic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, or NH, D.sup.1, D.sup.2, D.sup.3, and D.sup.4 each independently represent a single bond, CO, O, S, C(S), CR.sup.1R.sup.2, CR.sup.3CR.sup.4, NR.sup.5, or a divalent linking group consisting of a combination of two or more of these groups, where R.sup.1 to R.sup.5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, m1 and m2 each independently represent an integer of 1 to 3, provided that, in a case where m1 represents 2 or 3, a plurality of B.sup.1's and D.sup.1's may be the same or different from each other, and in a case where m2 represents 2 or 3, a plurality of B.sup.2's and D.sup.2's may be the same or different from each other, and Ar represents any aromatic ring selected from the group consisting of groups represented by Formulae (Ar-1) to (Ar-7), ##STR00031## ##STR00032## in Formulae (Ar-1) to (Ar-7), * represents a bonding position to D.sup.1 or D.sup.2, Q.sup.1 represents N or CH, Q.sup.2 represents S, O, or N(R.sup.6), where R.sup.6 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, Y.sup.1 represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, an aromatic heterocyclic group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, or an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the alicyclic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, or NH, Z.sup.1, Z.sup.2, and Z.sup.3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a monovalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, a monovalent aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a monovalent aromatic heterocyclic group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a nitro group, OR.sup.7, NR.sup.8R.sup.9, SR.sup.10, COOR.sup.11, or COR.sup.12, where R.sup.7 to R.sup.12 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 may be bonded to each other to form an aromatic ring, A.sup.3 and A.sup.4 each independently represent a group selected from the group consisting of O, N(R.sup.13), S, and CO, where R.sup.13 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, X represents a non-metal atom of Groups 14 to 16, where a hydrogen atom or a substituent may be bonded to the non-metal atom, D.sup.7 and D.sup.8 each independently represent a single bond, CO, O, S, C(S), CR.sup.1R.sup.2, CR.sup.3CR.sup.4, NR.sup.5, or a divalent linking group consisting of a combination of two or more of these groups, where R.sup.1 to R.sup.5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, SP.sup.3 and SP.sup.4 each independently represent a single bond or a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the aliphatic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, NH, N(Q)-, or CO, Q represents a substituent, L.sup.3 and L.sup.4 each independently represent a monovalent organic group, Ax represents an organic group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, which has at least one aromatic ring selected from the group consisting of an aromatic hydrocarbon ring and an aromatic heterocyclic ring, Ay represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, or an organic group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, which has at least one aromatic ring selected from the group consisting of an aromatic hydrocarbon ring and an aromatic heterocyclic ring, where the aromatic rings in Ax and Ay may have a substituent, and Ax and Ay may be bonded to each other to form a ring, and Q.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent.

3. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 1, wherein a content of the second liquid crystal compound is 0.01% to 20% by mass with respect to a total mass of the first liquid crystal compound and the second liquid crystal compound.

4. A liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (2), ##STR00033## in Formula (2), M represents a divalent mesogen skeleton represented by Formula (5), SP.sup.1 represents a single bond or a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the aliphatic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, NH, N(Q)-, or CO, Q represents a substituent, SP.sup.2 represents a single bond or a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the aliphatic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, NH, N(Q)-, or CO, Q represents a substituent, L.sup.1 represents a polymerizable group, and T represents a hydroxy group, a halogen atom, an alkylcarbonyloxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a substituent represented by Formula (3) or (4), ##STR00034## in Formula (5), * represents a bonding position to SP.sup.1 or SP.sup.2, B.sup.1 and B.sup.2 each independently represent an aromatic ring having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, or a divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 5 to 20 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the alicyclic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, or NH, D.sup.1, D.sup.2, D.sup.3, and D.sup.4 each independently represent a single bond, CO, O, S, C(S), CR.sup.1R.sup.2, CR.sup.3CR.sup.4, NR.sup.5, or a divalent linking group consisting of a combination of two or more of these groups, where R.sup.1 to R.sup.5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, m1 and m2 each independently represent an integer of 1 to 3, provided that, in a case where m1 represents 2 or 3, a plurality of B.sup.1's and D.sup.1's may be the same or different from each other, and in a case where m2 represents 2 or 3, a plurality of B.sup.2's and D.sup.2's may be the same or different from each other, and Ar represents any aromatic ring selected from the group consisting of groups represented by Formulae (Ar-1) to (Ar-7), ##STR00035## ##STR00036## in Formulae (Ar-1) to (Ar-7), * represents a bonding position to D.sup.1 or D.sup.2, Q.sup.1 represents N or CH, Q.sup.2 represents S, O, or N(R.sup.6), where R.sup.6 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, Y.sup.1 represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, an aromatic heterocyclic group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, or an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the alicyclic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, or NH, Z.sup.1, Z.sup.2, and Z.sup.3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a monovalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, a monovalent aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a monovalent aromatic heterocyclic group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a nitro group, OR.sup.7, NR.sup.8R.sup.9, SR.sup.10, COOR.sup.11, or COR.sup.12, where R.sup.7 to R.sup.12 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 may be bonded to each other to form an aromatic ring, A.sup.3 and A.sup.4 each independently represent a group selected from the group consisting of O, N(R.sup.13), S, and CO, where R.sup.13 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, X represents a non-metal atom of Groups 14 to 16, where a hydrogen atom or a substituent may be bonded to the non-metal atom, D.sup.7 and D.sup.8 each independently represent a single bond, CO, O, S, C(S), CR.sup.1R.sup.2, CR.sup.3CR.sup.4, NR.sup.5, or a divalent linking group consisting of a combination of two or more of these groups, where R.sup.1 to R.sup.5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, SP.sup.3 and SP.sup.4 each independently represent a single bond or a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the aliphatic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, NH, N(Q)-, or CO, Q represents a substituent, L.sup.3 and L.sup.4 each independently represent a monovalent organic group, where at least one of L.sup.3, L.sup.4, or L.sup.1 or L.sup.2 in Formula (B) represents a polymerizable group, Ax represents an organic group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, which has at least one aromatic ring selected from the group consisting of an aromatic hydrocarbon ring and an aromatic heterocyclic ring, Ay represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, or an organic group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, which has at least one aromatic ring selected from the group consisting of an aromatic hydrocarbon ring and an aromatic heterocyclic ring, where the aromatic rings in Ax and Ay may have a substituent, and Ax and Ay may be bonded to each other to form a ring, and Q.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, ##STR00037## in Formulae (3) and (4), * represents a bonding position to SP.sup.2, X.sup. represents a counter anion, R.sup.T1 to R.sup.T3 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the alkyl group may be replaced with O, S, NH, N(Q)-, or CO, Q represents a substituent, two or three of R.sup.T1 to R.sup.T3 may be bonded to each other to form a ring, R.sup.T4 and R.sup.T5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the alkyl group may be replaced with O, S, NH, N(Q)-, or CO, Q represents a substituent, and A represents a 5-membered or 6-membered nitrogen-containing aromatic ring which may have a substituent.

5. A liquid crystal cured layer obtained by fixing an alignment state of the liquid crystal composition according to claim 1.

6. An optical film comprising: the liquid crystal cured layer according to claim 5.

7. A polarizing plate comprising: the optical film according to claim 6; and a polarizer.

8. An image display device comprising: the optical film according to claim 6.

9. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 2, wherein a content of the second liquid crystal compound is 0.01% to 20% by mass with respect to a total mass of the first liquid crystal compound and the second liquid crystal compound.

10. A liquid crystal cured layer obtained by fixing an alignment state of the liquid crystal composition according to claim 2.

11. An optical film comprising: the liquid crystal cured layer according to claim 10.

12. A polarizing plate comprising: the optical film according to claim 11; and a polarizer.

13. An image display device comprising: the optical film according to claim 11.

14. A polarizing plate comprising: the optical film according to claim 7; and a polarizer.

15. A polarizing plate comprising: the optical film according to claim 12; and a polarizer.

16. A liquid crystal cured layer obtained by fixing an alignment state of the liquid crystal composition according to claim 3.

17. An optical film comprising: the liquid crystal cured layer according to claim 16.

18. A polarizing plate comprising: the optical film according to claim 17; and a polarizer.

19. An image display device comprising: the optical film according to claim 17.

20. A polarizing plate comprising: the optical film according to claim 18; and a polarizer.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0029] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail.

[0030] The description of configuration requirements described below may be made based on typical embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to such embodiments.

[0031] Any numerical range expressed using to in the present specification refers to a range including the numerical values before and after the to as a lower limit value and an upper limit value, respectively.

[0032] In addition, in a range of numerical values described in stages in the present specification, the upper limit value or the lower limit value described in a certain range of numerical values may be replaced with an upper limit value or a lower limit value of the range of numerical values described in other stages. In addition, regarding the numerical range described in the present specification, an upper limit value or a lower limit value described in a numerical value may be replaced with a value described in Examples.

[0033] In addition, in the present specification, substances corresponding to respective components may be used alone or in combination of two or more kinds thereof. Here, in a case where two or more kinds of substances are used in combination for each component, the content of the component indicates the total content of the substances used in combination, unless otherwise specified.

[0034] In addition, in the present specification, (meth)acrylate denotes acrylate or methacrylate, (meth)acryl denotes acryl or methacryl, and (meth)acryloyl denotes acryloyl or methacryloyl.

[0035] In addition, in the present specification, a bonding direction of a divalent group (for example, OCO) described is not particularly limited, and for example, in a case where L.sup.2 in an L.sup.1-L.sup.2-L.sup.3 bond is OCO, and a bonding position on the L.sup.1 side is represented by *1 and a bonding position on the L.sup.3 side is represented by *2, L.sup.2 may be *1-OCO-*2 or *1-COO-*2.

[0036] In addition, in the present specification, Re() and Rth() respectively represent an in-plane retardation at a wavelength and a thickness-direction retardation at a wavelength . Unless otherwise specified, the wavelength refers to 550 nm.

[0037] In the present invention, Re() and Rth() are values measured at the wavelength of in AxoScan (manufactured by Axometrics, Inc.). By inputting an average refractive index ((nx+ny+nz)/3) and a film thickness (d (m)) in AxoScan, [0038] a slow axis direction (),

[00001]$\mathrm{Re}\left(\right)=R0\left(\right),\mathrm{and}$$\mathrm{Rth}\left(\right)=\left(\left(\mathrm{nx}+\mathrm{ny}\right)/2-\mathrm{nz}\right)d$ [0039] are calculated.

[0040] Although R0 () is displayed as a numerical value calculated by AxoScan, it means Re ().

[0041] In addition, in the present specification, examples of a substituent (monovalent substituent) include substituents described in the following substituent group A.

[0042] In the present specification, may have a substituent includes not only an aspect of not having a substituent but also an aspect of having one or more substituents.

<Substituent Group A>

[0043] Examples of the substituent include: [0044] a halogen atom (for example, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, or a bromine atom, preferably a chlorine atom or a fluorine atom, and more preferably a fluorine atom); [0045] an alkyl group (a linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl group having preferably 1 to 48 carbon atoms, more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, and particularly preferably 1 to 8 carbon atoms, such as a linear alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms (for example, a methyl group, an ethyl group, a n-propyl group, a n-butyl group, a n-pentyl group, and a n-hexyl group), a branched alkyl group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms (for example, an isopropyl group, an isobutyl group, a tert-butyl group, a sec-butyl group, a neopentyl group, an isohexyl group, and a 3-methylpentyl group), and a cyclic alkyl group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms (for example, a cyclopropyl group, a cyclopentyl group, a cyclohexyl group, a 1-norbornyl group, and a 1-adamantyl group)); [0046] an alkenyl group (an alkenyl group having preferably 2 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 2 to 18 carbon atoms, such as a vinyl group, an allyl group, a 1-butenyl group, and a 2-butenyl group); [0047] an alkynyl group (an alkynyl group having preferably 2 to 6 carbon atoms and more preferably 2 to 4 carbon atoms, such as an ethynyl group, a 1-propynyl group, a propargyl group, a 1-butynyl group, and a 2-butynyl group); [0048] an aryl group (an aryl group having preferably 6 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 6 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a phenyl group, an oligoaryl group (a naphthyl group or an anthryl group), a phenanthrenyl group, a fluorenyl group, a pyrenyl group, a triphenylenyl group, and a biphenyl group); [0049] a heteroaryl group (a heterocyclic group having preferably 1 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 18 carbon atoms, such as a 2-thienyl group, a 4-pyridyl group, a 2-furyl group, a 2-pyrimidinyl group, a 1-pyridyl group, a 2-benzothiazolyl group, a 1-imidazolyl group, a 1-pyrazolyl group, and a benzotriazol-1-yl group); [0050] an arylalkyl group (an arylalkyl group having preferably 7 to 15 carbon atoms, such as a benzyl group, a phenethyl group, a methylbenzyl group, a phenylpropyl group, a 1-methylphenylethyl group, a phenylbutyl group, a 2-methylphenylpropyl group, a tetrahydronaphthyl group, a naphthylmethyl group, a naphthylethyl group, an indenyl group, a fluorenyl group, an anthracenylmethyl group (an anthrylmethyl group), and a phenanthrenylmethyl group (a phenanthrylmethyl group)); [0051] a silyl group (a silyl group having preferably 3 to 38 carbon atoms and more preferably 3 to 18 carbon atoms, such as a trimethylsilyl group, a triethylsilyl group, a tributylsilyl group, a t-butyldimethylsilyl group, and a t-hexyldimethylsilyl group); [0052] a hydroxy group; a cyano group; a nitro group; a morpholino group; [0053] an alkoxy group (an alkoxy group having preferably 1 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a methoxy group, an ethoxy group, a 1-butoxy group, a 2-butoxy group, an isopropoxy group, a t-butoxy group, a dodecyloxy group, and a cycloalkyloxy group (for example, a cyclopentyloxy group or a cyclohexyloxy group)); [0054] an aryloxy group (an aryloxy group having preferably 6 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 6 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a phenoxy group and a 1-naphthoxy group); [0055] an alkenyloxy group (an alkenyloxy group having preferably 2 to 6 carbon atoms, such as a vinyloxy group, a 1-propenyloxy group, a 2-n-propenyloxy group (an allyloxy group), a 1-n-butenyloxy group, and a prenyloxy group); [0056] a heterocyclic oxy group (a heterocyclic oxy group having preferably 1 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 18 carbon atoms, such as a 1-phenyltetrazol-5-yloxy group and a 2-tetrahydropyranyloxy group); [0057] a silyloxy group (a silyloxy group having preferably 1 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 18 carbon atoms, such as a trimethylsilyloxy group, a t-butyldimethylsilyloxy group, and a diphenylmethylsilyloxy group); [0058] an acyloxy group (an acyloxy group having preferably 2 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 2 to 24 carbon atoms, such as an acetoxy group, a pivaloyloxy group, a benzoyloxy group, a dodecanoyloxy group, an acryloyloxy group, and a methacryloyloxy group); [0059] a hydroxyalkyleneoxy group (a hydroxyalkyleneoxy group having preferably 2 to 10 carbon atoms, such as a hydroxyethyleneoxy group); [0060] an alkoxycarbonyloxy group (an alkoxycarbonyloxy group having preferably 2 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 2 to 24 carbon atoms, such as an ethoxycarbonyloxy group, a t-butoxycarbonyloxy group, and a cycloalkyloxycarbonyloxy group (for example, a cyclohexyloxycarbonyloxy group)); [0061] an aryloxycarbonyloxy group (an aryloxycarbonyloxy group having preferably 7 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 7 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a phenoxycarbonyloxy group); [0062] a carbamoyloxy group (a carbamoyloxy group having preferably 1 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as an N,N-dimethylcarbamoyloxy group, an N-butylcarbamoyloxy group, an N-phenylcarbamoyloxy group, and an N-ethyl-N-phenylcarbamoyloxy group); [0063] a sulfamoyloxy group (a sulfamoyloxy group having preferably 1 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as an N,N-diethylsulfamoyloxy group and an N-propylsulfamoyloxy group); [0064] an alkylsulfonyloxy group (an alkylsulfonyloxy group having preferably 1 to 38 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a methylsulfonyloxy group, a hexadecylsulfonyloxy group, and a cyclohexylsulfonyloxy group); [0065] an arylsulfonyloxy group (an arylsulfonyloxy group having preferably 6 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 6 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a phenylsulfonyloxy group); [0066] an acyl group (an acyl group having preferably 1 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a formyl group, an acetyl group, an acryloyl group, a methacryloyl group, a pivaloyl group, a benzoyl group, a tetradecanoyl group, and a cyclohexanoyl group); [0067] an alkoxycarbonyl group (an alkoxycarbonyl group having preferably 2 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 2 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a methoxycarbonyl group, an ethoxycarbonyl group, an octadecyloxycarbonyl group, a cyclohexyloxycarbonyl group, and a 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylcyclohexyloxycarbonyl group); [0068] an aryloxycarbonyl group (an aryloxycarbonyl group having preferably 7 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 7 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a phenoxycarbonyl group); [0069] a carbamoyl group (a carbamoyl group having preferably 1 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a carbamoyl group, an N,N-diethylcarbamoyl group, an N-ethyl-N-octylcarbamoyl group, an N,N-dibutylcarbamoyl group, an N-propylcarbamoyl group, an N-phenylcarbamoyl group, an N-methyl-N-phenylcarbamoyl group, and an N,N-dicyclohexylcarbamoyl group); [0070] an amino group (an amino group having preferably 32 or less carbon atoms and more preferably 24 or less carbon atoms, such as an amino group, a methylamino group, an N,N-dimethylamino group, an N,N-dibutylamino group, a tetradecylamino group, a 2-ethylhexylamino group, and a cyclohexylamino group); [0071] an anilino group (an anilino group having preferably 6 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 6 to 24 carbon atoms, such as an anilino group and an N-methylanilino group); [0072] a heterocyclic amino group (a heterocyclic amino group having preferably 1 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 18 carbon atoms, such as a 4-pyridylamino group); [0073] a carbonamide group (a carbonamide group having preferably 2 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 2 to 24 carbon atoms, such as an acetamide group, a benzamide group, a tetradecaneamide group, a pivaloylamide group, and a cyclohexaneamide group); [0074] a ureido group (a ureido group having preferably 1 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a ureido group, an N,N-dimethylureido group, and an N-phenylureido group); [0075] an imide group (an imide group having preferably 36 or less carbon atoms and more preferably 24 or less carbon atoms, such as an N-succinimide group and an N-phthalimide group); [0076] an alkoxycarbonylamino group (an alkoxycarbonylamino group having preferably 2 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 2 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a methoxycarbonylamino group, an ethoxycarbonylamino group, a t-butoxycarbonylamino group, an octadecyloxycarbonylamino group, and a cyclohexyloxycarbonylamino group); [0077] an aryloxycarbonylamino group (an aryloxycarbonylamino group having preferably 7 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 7 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a phenoxycarbonylamino group); [0078] a sulfonamide group (a sulfonamide group having preferably 1 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a methanesulfonamide group, a butanesulfonamide group, a benzenesulfonamide group, a hexadecanesulfonamide group, and a cyclohexanesulfonamide group); [0079] a sulfamoylamino group (a sulfamoylamino group having preferably 1 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as an N,N-dipropylsulfamoylamino group and an N-ethyl-N-dodecylsulfamoylamino group); [0080] an azo group (an azo group having preferably 1 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a phenylazo group and a 3-pyrazolylazo group); [0081] an alkylthio group (an alkylthio group having preferably 1 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a methylthio group, an ethylthio group, an octylthio group, and a cyclohexylthio group); [0082] an arylthio group (an arylthio group having preferably 6 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 6 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a phenylthio group); [0083] a heterocyclic thio group (a heterocyclic thio group having preferably 1 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 18 carbon atoms, such as a 2-benzothiazolylthio group, a 2-pyridylthio group, and a 1-phenyltetrazolylthio group); [0084] an alkylsulfinyl group (an alkylsulfinyl group having preferably 1 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a dodecanesulfinyl group); [0085] an arylsulfinyl group (an arylsulfinyl group having preferably 6 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 6 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a phenylsulfinyl group); [0086] an alkylsulfonyl group (an alkylsulfonyl group having preferably 1 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a methylsulfonyl group, an ethylsulfonyl group, a propylsulfonyl group, a butylsulfonyl group, an isopropylsulfonyl group, a 2-ethylhexylsulfonyl group, a hexadecylsulfonyl group, an octylsulfonyl group, and a cyclohexylsulfonyl group); [0087] an arylsulfonyl group (an arylsulfonyl group having preferably 6 to 48 carbon atoms and more preferably 6 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a phenylsulfonyl group and a 1-naphthylsulfonyl group); [0088] a sulfamoyl group (a sulfamoyl group having preferably 32 or less carbon atoms and more preferably 24 or less carbon atoms, such as a sulfamoyl group, an N,N-dipropylsulfamoyl group, an N-ethyl-N-dodecylsulfamoyl group, an N-ethyl-N-phenylsulfamoyl group, an N-cyclohexylsulfamoyl group, and an N-(2-ethylhexyl)sulfamoyl group); [0089] a phosphonyl group (a phosphonyl group having preferably 1 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a phenoxyphosphonyl group, an octyloxyphosphonyl group, and a phenylphosphonyl group); [0090] a phosphinoylamino group (a phosphinoylamino group having preferably 1 to 32 carbon atoms and more preferably 1 to 24 carbon atoms, such as a diethoxyphosphinoylamino group and a dioctyloxyphosphinoylamino group); [0091] an epoxy group; NHCOCH.sub.3; SO.sub.2NHC.sub.2H.sub.4OCH.sub.3; and NHSO.sub.2CH.sub.3, [0092] in which two or more thereof may be combined.

[0093] These substituents may be further substituted with these substituents. In addition, in a case of having two or more of the substituents, the substituents may be the same or different from each other. Furthermore, if possible, these substituents may be bonded to each other to form a ring.

[Liquid Crystal Composition]

[0094] The liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention is a liquid crystal composition containing a first liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (1) described later and a second liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (2) described later.

[0095] In addition, in the liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention, both the first liquid crystal compound and the second liquid crystal compound are liquid crystal compounds having a maximal absorption wavelength in a wavelength range of 280 to 420 nm.

[0096] Here, the maximal absorption wavelength of the liquid crystal compound can be calculated from an absorption spectrum obtained by measuring an absorbance in a wavelength range of 200 to 800 nm using an ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer (for example, UV-1800 (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) or the like).

[0097] In addition, the maximal absorption wavelength of each component in a mixture can be calculated from a maximal value of an ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum detected for each separation peak using high-performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector (for example, Prominence series (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) or the like). A solvent to be used is not particularly limited as long as it is used as an eluant for general high-performance liquid chromatography, and may contain an additive such as a weak acid or a weak base as a buffer. In addition, as the eluant, methanol, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, water, or the like is preferably used; as the weak acid for a buffer, acetic acid, phosphoric acid, or the like is preferably used; and as the weak base, triethylamine or the like is preferably used.

[0098] In the present invention, as described above, in a case where a liquid crystal composition containing a predetermined liquid crystal compound having a polymerizable group at both terminals and a liquid crystal compound having a structure different from the predetermined liquid crystal compound only at one terminal, that is, a liquid crystal composition containing the first liquid crystal compound and the second liquid crystal compound is used, precipitability of the liquid crystal compound is suppressed.

[0099] The reason for this is not clear, but the present inventors presume as follows.

[0100] That is, it is presumed that this is because the second liquid crystal compound has the same structure as the first liquid crystal compound, except for the structure of T (a hydroxy group or the like) in Formula (2) described later, and thus crystallization or the like of the first liquid crystal compound can be suppressed without hindering alignment of the first liquid crystal compound.

[0101] Hereinafter, the first liquid crystal compound and the second liquid crystal compound, contained in the liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention, will be described in detail.

[First Liquid Crystal Compound]

[0102] The first liquid crystal compound is a liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (1).

##STR00002##

[0103] In Formula (1), L.sup.1 and L.sup.2 each independently represent a polymerizable group.

[0104] Here, the polymerizable group is not particularly limited, but is preferably a radically polymerizable group or a cationically polymerizable group.

[0105] A known radically polymerizable group can be used as the radically polymerizable group, and suitable examples thereof include an acryloyloxy group or a methacryloyloxy group. In this case, it is known that the acryloyloxy group generally has a high polymerization rate, and from the viewpoint of improving productivity, the acryloyloxy group is preferable. However, the methacryloyloxy group can also be used as the polymerizable group.

[0106] A known cationically polymerizable group can be used as the cationically polymerizable group, and specific examples thereof include an alicyclic ether group, a cyclic acetal group, a cyclic lactone group, a cyclic thioether group, a spiro orthoester group, and a vinyloxy group. Among these, an alicyclic ether group or a vinyloxy group is suitable, and an epoxy group, an oxetanyl group, or a vinyloxy group is particularly preferable.

[0107] Examples of a particularly preferred polymerizable group include a polymerizable group represented by any one of Formulae (P-1) to (P-20).

##STR00003## ##STR00004##

[0108] In Formula (1), SP.sup.1 and SP.sup.2 each independently represent a single bond or a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms. Here, one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the aliphatic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, NH, N(Q)-, or CO. Q represents a substituent.

[0109] Here, examples of the divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms include a linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a linear or branched alkenylene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, and a linear or branched alkynylene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms.

[0110] As the linear or branched alkylene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms is preferable and an alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms is more preferable; and suitable examples thereof include a methylene group, an ethylene group, a propylene group, a butylene group, a pentylene group, and a hexylene group.

[0111] As the linear or branched alkenylene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkenylene group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms is preferable and an alkenylene group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms is more preferable; and suitable examples thereof include an ethenylene group.

[0112] As the linear or branched alkynylene group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkynylene group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms is preferable and an alkynylene group having 2 to 4 carbon atoms is more preferable; and suitable examples thereof include an ethynylene group.

[0113] As described above, one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the aliphatic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, NH, N(Q)-, or CO; and examples of the substituent represented by Q include the substituents described in the above substituent group A. Among these, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyloxy group, or a halogen atom is preferable.

[0114] In Formula (1), M represents a divalent mesogen skeleton having three or more rings of aromatic rings and aliphatic rings, which may have a substituent.

[0115] Here, examples of the aromatic ring include aromatic rings having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, and specific examples thereof include aromatic hydrocarbon rings such as a benzene ring, a naphthalene ring, an anthracene ring, and a phenanthrene ring; and aromatic heterocyclic rings such as a furan ring, a pyrrole ring, a thiophene ring, a pyridine ring, a thiazole ring, and a benzothiazole ring. Among these, a benzene ring (for example, a 1,4-phenyl group) is preferable.

[0116] In addition, examples of the aliphatic ring include cycloalkane rings, and specific examples thereof include a cyclohexane ring, a cycloheptane ring, a cyclooctane ring, a cyclododecane ring, and a cyclodocosane ring. Among these, a cyclohexane ring is preferable, a 1,4-cyclohexylene group is more preferable, and a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group is still more preferable.

[0117] Examples of the substituent which may be included the aromatic ring or the aliphatic ring include the substituents described in the above substituent group A; and among these, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyloxy group, or a halogen atom is preferable.

[0118] In M in Formula (1), the number of aromatic rings or aliphatic rings is not particularly limited as long as the total number thereof is three or more, but is preferably 3 to 10, more preferably 3 to 7, and still more preferably 3 to 5.

[0119] In the present invention, from the reason that liquid crystallinity is likely to be exhibited and optical physical properties are also easily imparted, it is preferable that M in Formula (1) represents a divalent mesogen skeleton represented by Formula (5). In Formula (5), * represents a bonding position to SP.sup.1 or SP.sup.2.

##STR00005##

[0120] In Formula (5), B.sup.1 and B.sup.2 each independently represent an aromatic ring having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, or a divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 5 to 20 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, where one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the alicyclic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, or NH.

[0121] Examples of the aromatic ring having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, represented by one aspect of B.sup.1 and B.sup.2, include aromatic hydrocarbon rings such as a benzene ring, a naphthalene ring, an anthracene ring, and a phenanthrene ring; and aromatic heterocyclic rings such as a furan ring, a pyrrole ring, a thiophene ring, a pyridine ring, a thiazole ring, and a benzothiazole ring. Among these, a benzene ring (for example, a 1,4-phenyl group) is preferable.

[0122] As the divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 5 to 20 carbon atoms, represented by one aspect of B.sup.1 and B.sup.2, a 5-membered ring or a 6-membered ring is preferable. In addition, the alicyclic hydrocarbon group may be saturated or unsaturated, but a saturated alicyclic hydrocarbon group is preferable. As the divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group represented by G.sup.1 and G.sup.2, for example, the description of paragraph [0078] of JP2012-21068A can be referred to, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0123] In addition, as the alicyclic hydrocarbon group, a cycloalkane ring is preferable.

[0124] Specific examples of the cycloalkane ring include a cyclohexane ring, a cycloheptane ring, a cyclooctane ring, a cyclododecane ring, and a cyclodocosane ring.

[0125] Among these, a cyclohexane ring is preferable, a 1,4-cyclohexylene group is more preferable, and a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group is still more preferable.

[0126] In addition, with regard to B.sup.1 and B.sup.2 in Formula (5), examples of the substituent which may be included in the aromatic ring having 6 to 20 carbon atoms and the divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 5 to 20 carbon atoms include the substituents described in the above substituent group A; and among these, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyloxy group, or a halogen atom is preferable.

[0127] In Formula (5), D.sup.1, D.sup.2, D.sup.3, and D.sup.4 each independently represent a single bond, CO, O, S, C(S), CR.sup.1R.sup.2, CR.sup.3CR.sup.4, NR.sup.5, or a divalent linking group consisting of a combination of two or more of these groups, where R.sup.1 to R.sup.5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms.

[0128] Here, specific examples of the divalent linking group include CO, O, COO, C(S)O, CR.sup.1R.sup.2, CR.sup.1R.sup.2CR.sup.1R.sup.2, OCR.sup.1R.sup.2, CR.sup.1R.sup.2OCR.sup.1R.sup.2, COOCR.sup.1R.sup.2, OCOCR.sup.1R.sup.2, CR.sup.1R.sup.2OCOCR.sup.1R.sup.2, CR.sup.1R.sup.2COOCR.sup.1R.sup.2, NR.sup.5CR.sup.1R.sup.2, and CONR.sup.5. R.sup.1, R.sup.2, and R.sup.5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms.

[0129] Among these, any of CO, O, or COO is preferable.

[0130] In Formula (5), m1 and m2 each independently represent an integer of 1 to 3, provided that, in a case where m1 represents 2 or 3, a plurality of B.sup.1's and D.sup.1's may be the same or different from each other, and in a case where m2 represents 2 or 3, a plurality of B.sup.2's and D.sup.2's may be the same or different from each other.

[0131] Here, both m1 and m2 are preferably 1 or 2, and more preferably 2.

[0132] In Formula (5), Ar represents any aromatic ring selected from the group consisting of groups represented by Formulae (Ar-1) to (Ar-7). In Formulae (Ar-1) to (Ar-7), * represents a bonding position to D.sup.1 or D.sup.2 in Formula (5).

##STR00006## ##STR00007##

[0133] In Formula (Ar-1), Q.sup.1 represents N or CH, Q.sup.2 represents S, O, or N(R.sup.6), where R.sup.6 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, Y.sup.1 represents an aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, an aromatic heterocyclic group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, or an alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, and one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the alicyclic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, or NH.

[0134] Here, specific examples of the alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, represented by one aspect of R.sup.6, include a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, an isopropyl group, a n-butyl group, an isobutyl group, a sec-butyl group, a tert-butyl group, a n-pentyl group, and a n-hexyl group.

[0135] Examples of the aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms, represented by one aspect of Y.sup.1, include aryl groups such as a phenyl group, a 2,6-diethylphenyl group, and a naphthyl group.

[0136] Examples of the aromatic heterocyclic group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, represented by one aspect of Y.sup.1, include a heteroaryl group such as a thienyl group, a thiazolyl group, a furyl group, and a pyridyl group; and a group obtained by removing one hydrogen atom from any of an indole ring, a benzofuran ring, a benzothiophene ring, a benzimidazole ring, a benzothiazole ring, or a benzoxazole ring. Among these, as the aromatic heterocyclic group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, represented by Y.sup.1, a group obtained by removing one hydrogen atom from a benzofuran ring or a benzothiazole ring is preferable.

[0137] Examples of the alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, represented by one aspect of Y.sup.1, include a cyclohexylene group, a cyclopentylene group, a norbornylene group, and an adamantylene group.

[0138] In addition, examples of the substituent which may be included in Y.sup.1 include the substituents described in the above substituent group A; and among these, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyloxy group, a nitro group, a cyano group, or a halogen atom is preferable.

[0139] In addition, in Formulae (Ar-1) to (Ar-7), Z.sup.1, Z.sup.2, and Z.sup.3 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a monovalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms, a monovalent aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a monovalent aromatic heterocyclic group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, a cyano group, a nitro group, OR.sup.7, NR.sup.8R.sup.9, SR.sup.10, COOR.sup.11, or COR.sup.12, where R.sup.7 to R.sup.12 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 may be bonded to each other to form an aromatic ring.

[0140] As the monovalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, an alkyl group having 1 to 15 carbon atoms is preferable, an alkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms is more preferable; and specifically, a methyl group, an ethyl group, an isopropyl group, a tert-pentyl group (1,1-dimethylpropyl group), a tert-butyl group, or 1,1-dimethyl-3,3-dimethyl-butyl group is still more preferable and a methyl group, an ethyl group, or a tert-butyl group is particularly preferable.

[0141] Examples of the monovalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms include monocyclic saturated hydrocarbon groups such as a cyclopropyl group, a cyclobutyl group, a cyclopentyl group, a cyclohexyl group, a cycloheptyl group, a cyclooctyl group, a cyclodecyl group, a methylcyclohexyl group, and an ethylcyclohexyl group; monocyclic unsaturated hydrocarbon groups such as a cyclobutenyl group, a cyclopentenyl group, a cyclohexenyl group, a cycloheptenyl group, a cyclooctenyl group, a cyclodecenyl group, a cyclopentadienyl group, a cyclohexadienyl group, a cyclooctadienyl group, and a cyclodecadiene group; and polycyclic saturated hydrocarbon groups such as a bicyclo[2.2.1]heptyl group, a bicyclo[2.2.2]octyl group, a tricyclo[5.2.1.0.sup.2,6]decyl group, a tricyclo[3.3.1.1.sup.3,7]decyl group, a tetracyclo[6.2.1.1.sup.3,6.0.sup.2,7]dodecyl group, and an adamantyl group.

[0142] Specific examples of the monovalent aromatic hydrocarbon group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms include a phenyl group, a 2,6-diethylphenyl group, a naphthyl group, and a biphenyl group, and an aryl group having 6 to 12 carbon atoms (particularly, a phenyl group) is preferable.

[0143] Specific examples of the monovalent aromatic heterocyclic group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms include a 4-pyridyl group, a 2-furyl group, a 2-thienyl group, a 2-pyrimidinyl group, and a 2-benzothiazolyl group.

[0144] Examples of the halogen atom include a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, and an iodine atom, and among these, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, or a bromine atom is preferable.

[0145] On the other hand, specific examples of the alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms represented by one aspect of R.sup.7 to R.sup.10 include a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, an isopropyl group, a n-butyl group, an isobutyl group, a sec-butyl group, a tert-butyl group, a n-pentyl group, and a n-hexyl group.

[0146] As described above, Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 may be bonded to each other to form an aromatic ring, and examples of a structure in a case where Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2 in Formula (Ar-1) are bonded to each other to form an aromatic ring include a group represented by Formula (Ar-1a). In Formula (Ar-1a), * represents a bonding position to D.sup.11 or X.sup.1 in Formula (A) described above.

##STR00008##

[0147] Here, in Formula (Ar-1a), examples of Q.sup.1, Q.sup.2, and Y.sup.1 include the same as those described in Formula (Ar-1) above.

[0148] In addition, in Formulae (Ar-2) and (Ar-3), A.sup.3 and A.sup.4 each independently represent a group selected from the group consisting of O, N(R.sup.13), S, and CO, and R.sup.13 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent.

[0149] Examples of the substituent represented by one aspect of R.sup.13 include the substituents described in the above substituent group A; and among these, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyloxy group, or a halogen atom is preferable.

[0150] In addition, in Formula (Ar-2), X represents a non-metal atom of Group 14 to Group 16. Here, a hydrogen atom or a substituent may be bonded to the non-metal atom.

[0151] In addition, examples of the non-metal atom of Groups 14 to 16, represented by X, include an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, a nitrogen atom to which a hydrogen atom or a substituent is bonded [NR.sup.N1, R.sup.N1 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent], and a carbon atom to which a hydrogen atom or a substituent is bonded [C(R.sup.C1).sub.2, R.sup.C1 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent].

[0152] Suitable examples of the substituent include the substituents described in the above substituent group A; and among these, examples thereof include an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkyl-substituted alkoxy group, a cyclic alkyl group, an aryl group (for example, a phenyl group, a naphthyl group, or the like), a cyano group, an amino group, a nitro group, an alkylcarbonyl group, a sulfo group, and a hydroxyl group.

[0153] In addition, in Formula (Ar-3), D.sup.7 and D.sup.8 each independently represent a single bond, CO, O, S, C(S), CR.sup.1R.sup.2, CR.sup.3CR.sup.4, NR.sup.5, or a divalent linking group consisting of a combination of two or more of these groups, where R.sup.1 to R.sup.5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, or an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms.

[0154] Here, examples of the divalent linking group include the same as those described for D.sup.1 and D.sup.2 in Formula (5) above.

[0155] In addition, in Formula (Ar-3), SP.sup.3 and SP.sup.4 each independently represent a single bond or a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms. Here, one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the aliphatic hydrocarbon group may be replaced with O, S, NH, N(Q)-, or CO. Q represents a substituent. Examples of the substituent represented by Q include the substituents described in the above substituent group A; and among these, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyloxy group, or a halogen atom is preferable.

[0156] Here, examples of the divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group include the same groups as those described for SP.sup.1 and SP.sup.2 in Formula (1) above.

[0157] In addition, in Formula (Ar-3), L.sup.3 and L.sup.4 each independently represent a monovalent organic group.

[0158] Here, examples of the monovalent organic group include the substituents described in the above substituent group A and the above-described polymerizable group; and suitable examples thereof include an alkyl group, an aryl group, a heteroaryl group, an alkoxy group, a cyano group, a carboxy group, and a polymerizable group.

[0159] The alkyl group may be linear, branched, or cyclic, but is preferably linear. The number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group is preferably 1 to 30, more preferably 1 to 20, and still more preferably 1 to 10.

[0160] In addition, the aryl group may be monocyclic or polycyclic, but is preferably monocyclic. The number of carbon atoms in the aryl group is preferably 6 to 25 and more preferably 6 to 10.

[0161] In addition, the heteroaryl group may be monocyclic or polycyclic. The number of heteroatoms constituting the heteroaryl group is preferably 1 to 3. The heteroatom constituting the heteroaryl group is preferably a nitrogen atom, a sulfur atom, or an oxygen atom. The number of carbon atoms in the heteroaryl group is preferably 6 to 18 and more preferably 6 to 12.

[0162] In addition, the alkyl group, the aryl group, and the heteroaryl group may be unsubstituted or may have a substituent. Examples of the substituent include the substituents described in the above substituent group A; and among these, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyloxy group, or a halogen atom is preferable.

[0163] In addition, suitable examples of the polymerizable group include the polymerizable group represented by any of Formulae (P-1) to (P-20) described above.

[0164] In Formulae (Ar-4) to (Ar-7), Ax represents an organic group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms, which has at least one aromatic ring selected from the group consisting of an aromatic hydrocarbon ring and an aromatic heterocyclic ring.

[0165] In addition, in Formulae (Ar-4) to (Ar-7), Ay represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent, or an organic group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms which has at least one aromatic ring selected from the group consisting of an aromatic hydrocarbon ring and an aromatic heterocyclic ring.

[0166] Here, the aromatic rings in Ax and Ay may have a substituent, and Ax and Ay may be bonded to each other to form a ring.

[0167] In addition, Q.sup.3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, which may have a substituent.

[0168] Examples of Ax and Ay include those described in paragraphs [0039] to [0095] of WO2014/010325A.

[0169] In addition, specific examples of the alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, represented by Q.sup.3, include a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, an isopropyl group, a n-butyl group, an isobutyl group, a sec-butyl group, a tert-butyl group, a n-pentyl group, and a n-hexyl group; and examples of the substituent include the substituents described in the above substituent group A. Among these, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyloxy group, or a halogen atom is preferable.

[0170] Examples of the first liquid crystal compound include a compound represented by General Formula (1) described in JP2010-084032A (particularly, a compound described in paragraphs [0067] to [0073]), a compound represented by General Formula (II) described in JP2016-053709A (particularly, a compound described in paragraphs [0036] to [0043]), a compound represented by General Formula (1) described in JP2016-081035A (particularly, a compound described in paragraphs [0043] to [0055]), and a compound described in paragraphs [0025] to [0056] of WO2021/060427A.

[Second Liquid Crystal Compound]

[0171] The second liquid crystal compound is a liquid crystal compound represented by Formula (2).

##STR00009##

[0172] In Formula (2), M, SP.sup.1, SP.sup.2, and L.sup.1 have the same meanings as those described in Formula (1) above.

[0173] In addition, in the first liquid crystal compound and the second liquid crystal compound, contained in the liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention, M, SP.sup.1, SP.sup.2, and L.sup.1 in Formulae (1) and (2) represent the same groups as each other. That is, for example, in a case where L.sup.1 in Formula (1) is an acryloyloxy group, L.sup.1 in Formula (2) also represents an acryloyloxy group; and in a case where SP.sup.1 in Formula (1) is a propylene group, SP.sup.1 in Formula (2) also represents a propylene group.

[0174] On the other hand, T in Formula (2) represents a hydroxy group, a halogen atom, an alkylcarbonyloxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, or a substituent represented by Formula (3) or (4). In Formulae (3) and (4), * represents a bonding position to SP.sup.2.

##STR00010##

[0175] In Formulae (3) and (4), X.sup. represents a counter anion.

[0176] Here, examples of the counter anion include an alkyl borate anion, an aryl borate anion, a perchlorate ion, and a halogen anion; and among these, a halogen anion (particularly F.sup. and Cl.sup.) is preferable.

[0177] In Formulae (3) and (4), R.sup.T1 to R.sup.T3 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. R.sup.T4 and R.sup.T5 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

[0178] Here, specific examples of the above-described alkyl group include a methyl group, an ethyl group, a propyl group, an isopropyl group, a n-butyl group, an isobutyl group, a sec-butyl group, a tert-butyl group, a n-pentyl group, and a n-hexyl group.

[0179] In addition, one or more of CH.sub.2's constituting the alkyl group may be replaced with O, S, NH, N(Q)-, or CO. Q represents a substituent. Examples of the substituent include the substituents described in the above substituent group A; and among these, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyloxy group, or a halogen atom is preferable.

[0180] In addition, two or three of R.sup.T1 to R.sup.T3 may be bonded to each other to form a ring.

[0181] In Formulae (3) and (4), A represents a 5-membered or 6-membered nitrogen-containing aromatic ring which may have a substituent.

[0182] Here, specific examples of the 5-membered nitrogen-containing aromatic ring include a pyrazole ring, an imidazole ring, a triazole ring, a tetrazole ring, and a thiazole ring.

[0183] In addition, specific examples of the 6-membered nitrogen-containing aromatic ring include a pyridine ring, a pyridazine ring, a pyrimidine ring, and a pyrazine ring.

[0184] In addition, examples of the substituent which may be included in the 5-membered or 6-membered nitrogen-containing aromatic ring include the substituents described in the above substituent group A; and among these, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, an alkylcarbonyloxy group, an amino group, or a halogen atom is preferable.

[0185] Suitable examples of the second liquid crystal compound include specific compounds (2-1) to (2-11) represented by the following formulae.

##STR00011## ##STR00012## ##STR00013## ##STR00014## ##STR00015##

[0186] In the present invention, from the viewpoint of balancing the suppression of the precipitability of the liquid crystal compound and stretching characteristics (degree of crosslinking) of the liquid crystal cured layer, a content of the second liquid crystal compound is preferably 0.01% to 20% by mass, more preferably 0.05% to 15% by mass, and still more preferably 0.1% to 10% by mass with respect to the total mass of the first liquid crystal compound and the second liquid crystal compound.

[Other Polymerizable Compounds]

[0187] From the viewpoint of alignment temperature and solubility, it is preferable that the liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention contains a polymerizable compound having one or more polymerizable groups, in addition to the above-described first liquid crystal compound and second liquid crystal compound.

[0188] Here, the polymerizable group included in the other polymerizable compounds is not particularly limited; and suitable examples thereof include the polymerizable groups represented by any of Formulae (P-1) to (P-20) described above.

[0189] As the other polymerizable compounds, from the reason that the durability of the liquid crystal cured layer to be formed is more improved, other polymerizable compounds having two to four polymerizable groups are preferable, and other polymerizable compounds having two polymerizable groups are more preferable.

[0190] Examples of the other polymerizable compounds include compounds represented by Formulae (M1), (M2), and (M3) described in paragraphs [0030] to [0033] of JP2014-077068A, which have liquid crystallinity, and more specifically, specific examples described in paragraphs [0046] to [0055] of the same publication.

[Polymerization Initiator]

[0191] The liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains a polymerization initiator.

[0192] The polymerization initiator to be used is preferably a photopolymerization initiator capable of initiating a polymerization reaction by irradiation with ultraviolet rays.

[0193] Examples of the photopolymerization initiator include -carbonyl compounds (described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,367,661A and 2,367,670A), acyloin ethers (described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,448,828A), -hydrocarbon-substituted aromatic acyloin compounds (described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,512A), polynuclear quinone compounds (described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,046,127A and 2,951,758A), combinations of triarylimidazole dimer and p-aminophenyl ketone (described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,367A), acridine and phenazine compounds (described in JP1985-105667A (JP-S60-105667A) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,850A), oxadiazole compounds (described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,970A), and acyl phosphine oxide compounds (described in JP1988-40799B (JP-S63-40799B), JP1993-29234B (JP-H05-29234B), JP1998-95788A (JP-H10-95788A), and JP1998-29997A (JP-H10-29997A)).

[0194] In addition, in the present invention, it is also preferable that the polymerization initiator is an oxime-type polymerization initiator; and specific examples of the polymerization initiator include initiators described in paragraphs [0049] to [0052] of WO2017/170443A.

[Solvent]

[0195] From the viewpoint of workability or the like to form the liquid crystal cured layer, the liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains a solvent.

[0196] Specific examples of the solvent include ketones (for example, acetone, 2-butanone, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, cyclohexanone, cyclopentanone, and the like), ethers (for example, dioxane, tetrahydrofuran, and the like), aliphatic hydrocarbons (for example, hexane and the like), alicyclic hydrocarbons (for example, cyclohexane and the like), aromatic hydrocarbons (for example, toluene, xylene, trimethylbenzene, and the like), halogenated hydrocarbons (for example, dichloromethane, dichloroethane, dichlorobenzene, chlorotoluene, and the like), esters (for example, methyl acetate, ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, and the like), water, alcohols (for example, ethanol, isopropanol, butanol, cyclohexanol, and the like), cellosolves (for example, methyl cellosolve, ethyl cellosolve, and the like), cellosolve acetates, sulfoxides (for example, dimethyl sulfoxide and the like), and amides (for example, dimethyl formamide, dimethyl acetamide, and the like), and these solvents may be used alone or in a combination of two or more kinds thereof.

[Leveling Agent]

[0197] From the viewpoint of easily controlling alignment, the liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention preferably contains a leveling agent.

[0198] The leveling agent is preferably a fluorine-based leveling agent or a silicon-based leveling agent for a reason that it has a high leveling effect with respect to the addition amount, and the leveling agent is more preferably a fluorine-based leveling agent from the viewpoint that it is less likely to cause bleeding (bloom or bleed).

[0199] Specific examples of the leveling agent include compounds described in paragraphs [0079] to [0102] of JP2007-069471A, a compound represented by General Formula (I) described in JP2013-047204A (in particular, compounds described in paragraphs [0020] to [0032]), a compound represented by General Formula (I) described in JP2012-211306A (in particular, compounds described in paragraphs [0022] to [0029]), a liquid crystal alignment accelerator represented by General Formula (I) described in JP2002-129162A (in particular, compounds described in paragraphs [0076] to [0078] and [0082] to [0084]), and compounds represented by General Formulae (I), (II), and (III) described in JP2005-099248A (in particular, compounds described in paragraphs [0092] to [0096]). The leveling agent may also function as an alignment control agent described later.

[Alignment Control Agent]

[0200] The liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention can contain an alignment control agent as necessary.

[0201] With the alignment control agent, in addition to the homogeneous alignment, various alignment states such as homeotropic alignment (vertical alignment), tilt alignment, hybrid alignment, and cholesteric alignment can be formed, and specific alignment states can be controlled and achieved more uniformly and more accurately.

[0202] As an alignment control agent which accelerates the homogeneous alignment, for example, a low-molecular-weight alignment control agent or a high-molecular-weight alignment control agent can be used.

[0203] With regard to the low-molecular-weight alignment control agent, reference can be made to the description in, for example, paragraphs [0009] to [0083] of JP2002-20363A, paragraphs [0111] to [0120] of JP2006-106662A, and paragraphs [0021] to [0029] of JP2012-211306A, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0204] In addition, with regard to the high-molecular-weight alignment control agent, reference can be made to the description in, for example, paragraphs [0021] to [0057] of JP2004-198511A and paragraphs [0121] to [0167] of JP2006-106662A, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0205] In addition, examples of the alignment control agent which forms or accelerates the homeotropic alignment include a boronic acid compound and an onium salt compound, and specifically, reference can be made to compounds described in paragraphs [0023] to [0032] of JP2008-225281A, paragraphs [0052] to [0058] of JP2012-208397A, paragraphs [0024] to [0055] of JP2008-026730A, paragraphs [0043] to [0055] of JP2016-193869A, and the like, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0206] On the other hand, the cholesteric alignment can be achieved by adding a chiral agent to the liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention, and it is possible to control the direction of revolution of the cholesteric alignment by its chiral direction.

[0207] Incidentally, it is possible to control a pitch of the cholesteric alignment in accordance with an alignment regulating force of the chiral agent.

[0208] In a case where an alignment control agent is contained, a content thereof is preferably 0.01% to 10% by mass, and more preferably 0.05% to 5% by mass with respect to the total solid content mass of the composition. In a case where the content is within the range, it is possible to obtain a cured product which has no precipitation or phase separation, alignment defects, or the like, and is uniform and highly transparent while achieving a desired alignment state.

[Other Components]

[0209] The liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention may contain components other than the above-described components; and examples thereof include a surfactant, a tilt angle control agent, an alignment assistant, a plasticizer, and a crosslinking agent.

[Liquid Crystal Compound]

[0210] The liquid crystal compound according to the embodiment of the present invention is the above-described compound represented by Formula (2), in which M in Formula (2) represents the above-described divalent mesogen skeleton represented by Formula (5).

[Liquid Crystal Cured Layer]

[0211] The liquid crystal cured layer according to the embodiment of the present invention is a liquid crystal cured layer obtained by fixing an alignment state of the above-described liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0212] Examples of a method of forming the liquid crystal cured layer include a method of using the above-described liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention to obtain a desired alignment state, and then fixing an alignment state by polymerization.

[0213] Here, polymerization conditions are not particularly limited, but ultraviolet rays are preferably used in the polymerization by light irradiation. An irradiation amount is preferably 10 mJ/cm.sup.2 to 50 J/cm.sup.2, more preferably 20 mJ/cm.sup.2 to 5 J/cm.sup.2, still more preferably 30 mJ/cm.sup.2 to 3 J/cm.sup.2, and particularly preferably 50 mJ/cm.sup.2 to 1,000 mJ/cm.sup.2. In order to promote the polymerization reaction, the treatment may be performed under heating conditions.

[0214] The liquid crystal cured layer can be formed on any support or alignment film in the optical film described later, or a polarizer in the polarizing plate described later.

[0215] The alignment state of the liquid crystal compound in the liquid crystal cured layer according to the embodiment of the present invention may be any of horizontal alignment, vertical alignment, tilt alignment, and twist alignment; and it is preferable that the liquid crystal compound is immobilized in a state of being horizontally aligned with respect to the main surface of the liquid crystal cured layer.

[0216] In the present specification, the horizontal alignment means that a main surface of the liquid crystal cured layer (or in a case where the liquid crystal cured layer is formed on a member such as a support and an alignment film, a surface of the member) and a major axis direction of the liquid crystal compound are parallel to each other. It is not required for both the main surface of the liquid crystal cured layer and the major axis direction of the liquid crystal compound to be strictly parallel; and in the present specification, the expression means that both the main surface of the liquid crystal cured layer and the major axis direction of the liquid crystal compound are aligned at an angle formed by the major axis direction of the liquid crystal compound and the main surface of the liquid crystal cured layer of less than 10.

[0217] In the liquid crystal cured layer, the angle formed by the major axis direction of the liquid crystal compound and the main surface of the liquid crystal cured layer is preferably 0 to 5, more preferably 0 to 3, and still more preferably 0 to 2.

[0218] The liquid crystal cured layer according to the embodiment of the present invention is preferably an optically anisotropic layer, more preferably a positive A-plate or a positive C-plate, and still more preferably a positive A-plate.

[0219] Here, the positive A-plate and the positive C-plate are defined as follows.

[0220] The positive A-plate satisfies a relationship of Expression (A1) and the positive C-plate satisfies a relationship of Expression (C1), assuming that a refractive index in a film in-plane slow axis direction (in a direction in which an in-plane refractive index is maximum) is defined as nx, a refractive index in an in-plane direction orthogonal to the in-plane slow axis is defined as ny, and a refractive index in a thickness direction is defined as nz. The positive A-plate has an Rth showing a positive value and the positive C-plate has an Rth showing a negative value.

[00002]$\begin{array}{cc}nx>\mathrm{ny}\mathrm{nz}& \mathrm{Expression}\left(\mathrm{A1}\right)\end{array}$$\begin{array}{cc}\mathrm{nz}>\mathrm{nx}\mathrm{ny}& \mathrm{Expression}\left(C1\right)\end{array}$

[0221] The symbol encompasses not only a case where both sides are completely the same as each other but also a case where the both sides are substantially the same as each other.

[0222] With regard to the positive A-plate, the expression substantially the same means that, for example, a case where (nynz)d (in which d is a thickness of a film) is 10 to 10 nm and preferably 5 to 5 nm is also included in nynz; and a case where (nxnz)d is 10 to 10 nm and preferably 5 to 5 nm is also included in nxnz. In addition, in the positive C-plate, for example, a case where (nxny)d (in which d is a thickness of a film) is 0 to 10 nm, and preferably 0 to 5 nm is also included in nxny.

[0223] In a case where the liquid crystal cured layer according to the embodiment of the present invention is the positive A-plate, from the viewpoint that the retardation layer functions as a /4 plate, Re(550) is preferably 100 to 180 nm, more preferably 120 to 160 nm, still more preferably 130 to 150 nm, and particularly preferably 130 to 145 nm.

[0224] Here, the /4 plate is a plate having a /4 function, specifically, a plate having a function of converting linearly polarized light having a specific wavelength into circularly polarized light (or converting circularly polarized light into linearly polarized light).

[0225] In a case where the liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention contains a dichroic substance, the liquid crystal cured layer according to the embodiment of the present invention can be used as a polarizer (light absorption anisotropic film).

[Optical Film]

[0226] The optical film according to the embodiment of the present invention is an optical film including the liquid crystal cured layer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0227] A structure of the optical film will be described with reference to the FIGURE. The FIGURE is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an example of the optical film.

[0228] The FIGURE is a schematic view, and the thicknesses relationship, the positional relationship, and the like of the respective layers are not necessarily consistent with actual ones; and a support and an alignment film shown in the FIGURE are optional constitutional members.

[0229] An optical film 10 shown in the FIGURE includes, in the following order, a support 16, an alignment film 14, and a liquid crystal cured layer 12 as a cured substance of the liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0230] In addition, the liquid crystal cured layer 12 may be a laminate of two or more different liquid crystal cured layers. For example, in a case where the polarizing plate according to the embodiment of the present invention, which will be described later, is used as a circularly polarizing plate or the optical film according to the embodiment of the present invention is used as an optical compensation film of an in-plane-switching (IPS) mode or fringe-field-switching (FFS) mode liquid crystal display device, it is preferable that the liquid crystal cured layer is a laminate of a positive A-plate and a positive C-plate.

[0231] In addition, the liquid crystal cured layer may be peeled off from the support and used alone as the optical film.

[0232] Hereinafter, various members used for the optical film will be described in detail.

[Liquid Crystal Cured Layer]

[0233] The liquid crystal cured layer included in the optical film according to the embodiment of the present invention is the above-described liquid crystal cured layer according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0234] In the optical film, a thickness of the above-described liquid crystal cured layer is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1 to 10 m and more preferably 0.5 to 5 km.

[Support]

[0235] The optical film may include a support as a base material for forming the liquid crystal cured layer as described above.

[0236] Such a support is preferably transparent. Specifically, a light transmittance thereof is preferably 80% or more.

[0237] Examples of such a support include a glass substrate and a polymer film. Examples of a material of the polymer film include cellulose-based polymers; acrylic polymers having an acrylic acid ester polymer such as polymethyl methacrylate and a lactone ring-containing polymer; thermoplastic norbornene-based polymers; polycarbonate-based polymers; polyester-based polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate and polyethylene naphthalate; styrene-based polymers such as polystyrene and an acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer (AS resin); polyolefin-based polymers such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and an ethylene-propylene copolymer; vinyl chloride-based polymers; amide-based polymers such as nylon and aromatic polyamide; imide-based polymers; sulfone-based polymers; polyether sulfone-based polymers; polyether ether ketone-based polymers; polyphenylene sulfide-based polymers; vinylidene chloride-based polymers; vinyl alcohol-based polymers; vinyl butyral-based polymers; arylate-based polymers; polyoxymethylene-based polymers; epoxy-based polymers; and polymers obtained by mixing these polymers.

[0238] In addition, an aspect in which a polarizer described later may also function as the support is also adopted.

[0239] A thickness of the above-described support is not particularly limited, but is preferably 5 to 60 m, and more preferably 5 to 40 m.

[Alignment Film]

[0240] In the optical film, the liquid crystal cured layer is preferably formed on a surface of an alignment film (particularly, a photo-alignment film described later). In a case where the optical film includes any of the above-described supports, the alignment film may be interposed between the support and the liquid crystal cured layer. In addition, an aspect in which the above-described support may also function as the alignment film is also adopted.

[0241] The alignment film may be any film as long as it has a function of horizontally aligning the liquid crystal compound contained in the composition.

[0242] The alignment film generally contains a polymer as a main component. A polymer material for the alignment film is described in many documents, and many commercially available products can be used.

[0243] As the polymer material for the alignment film, a polyvinyl alcohol, a polyimide, or a derivative thereof is preferable, and a modified or unmodified polyvinyl alcohol is more preferable.

[0244] Examples of the alignment film which may be included in the optical film include alignment films described in Line 24 on Page 43 to Line 8 on Page 49 of WO01/88574A; alignment films consisting of modified polyvinyl alcohols described in paragraphs [0071] to [0095] of JP3907735B; and liquid crystal alignment films formed using a liquid crystal aligning agent described in JP2012-155308A.

[0245] Since an object does not come into contact with a surface of the alignment film in the formation of the alignment film and the deterioration of a surface condition can be prevented, it is preferable to use a photo-alignment film as the alignment film.

[0246] The photo-alignment film is not particularly limited; but an alignment film formed by a polymer material such as a polyamide compound and a polyimide compound described in paragraphs [0024] to [0043] of WO2005/096041A, a liquid crystal alignment film formed by a liquid crystal aligning agent having a photo-aligned group described in JP2012-155308A, trade name LPP-JP265CP manufactured by Rolic Technologies Ltd., or the like can be used.

[0247] A thickness of the alignment film is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of forming a liquid crystal cured layer having a uniform film thickness by relaxing the surface roughness which can be present on the support, the thickness is preferably 0.01 to 10 m, more preferably 0.01 to 1 m, and still more preferably 0.01 to 0.5 km.

[Other Liquid Crystal Cured Layers]

[0248] In the optical film, it is preferable that the liquid crystal cured layer is formed on a surface of other liquid crystal cured layers.

[0249] Here, examples of the other liquid crystal cured layers include a liquid crystal cured layer obtained by fixing an alignment state of a composition obtained by removing the specific compound A from the above-described liquid crystal composition according to the embodiment of the present invention. Specific examples thereof include a liquid crystal cured layer obtained by fixing an alignment state of a composition containing the above-described liquid crystal compound, a polymerization initiator, a leveling agent, a solvent, and the like.

[Ultraviolet Absorber]

[0250] It is preferable that the optical film contains an ultraviolet (UV) absorber, taking an effect of external light (particularly, ultraviolet rays) into consideration.

[0251] The ultraviolet absorber may be contained in the liquid crystal cured layer, or may be contained in a member other than the liquid crystal cured layer, constituting the optical film. Suitable examples of the member other than the liquid crystal cured layer include the support.

[0252] As the ultraviolet absorber, any one of ultraviolet absorbers known in the related art, which can express ultraviolet absorptivity, can be used. Among such ultraviolet absorbers, a benzotriazole-based ultraviolet absorber or a hydroxyphenyltriazine-based ultraviolet absorber is preferable from the viewpoint that it has high ultraviolet absorptivity and ultraviolet absorbing ability (ultraviolet-shielding ability) used for an image display device is obtained.

[0253] In addition, in order to broaden ultraviolet absorbing ranges, two or more kinds of ultraviolet absorbers having different maximal absorption wavelengths are also preferably used in combination.

[0254] Examples of the ultraviolet absorber include compounds described in paragraphs [0258] and [0259] of JP2012-18395A and compounds described in paragraphs [0055] to [0105] of JP2007-72163A.

[0255] In addition, as a commercially available product thereof, for example, Tinuvin 400, Tinuvin 405, Tinuvin 460, Tinuvin 477, Tinuvin 479, Tinuvin 1577, or the like (all manufactured by BASF) can be used.

[Polarizing Plate]

[0256] The polarizing plate according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the above-described optical film according to the embodiment of the present invention, and a polarizer.

[0257] In addition, in a case where the above-described liquid crystal cured layer according to the embodiment of the present invention is a /4 plate (positive A-plate), the polarizing plate according to the embodiment of the present invention can be used as a circularly polarizing plate.

[0258] In addition, in the polarizing plate according to the embodiment of the present invention, in a case where the above-described liquid crystal cured layer according to the embodiment of the present invention is a /4 plate (positive A-plate), an angle between a slow axis of the /4 plate and an absorption axis of the polarizer, which will be described later, is preferably 30 to 60, more preferably 40 to 50, still more preferably 42 to 48, and particularly preferably 45.

[0259] Here, the slow axis of the /4 plate means a direction in which a refractive index in the plane of the /4 plate is maximum, and the absorption axis of the polarizer means a direction in which an absorbance is highest.

[0260] In addition, the polarizing plate according to the embodiment of the present invention can also be used as an optical compensation film for the IPS mode or FFS mode liquid crystal display device.

[0261] In a case where the polarizing plate according to the embodiment of the present invention is used as an optical compensation film for the IPS mode or FFS mode liquid crystal display device, the above-described liquid crystal cured layer according to the embodiment of the present invention can be used as at least one plate of a laminate of a positive A-plate and a positive C-plate, and it is preferably a positive A-plate. In this case, it is preferable that the angle between the slow axis of the positive A-plate and the absorption axis of the polarizer described later is orthogonal or parallel, and specifically, the angle between the slow axis of the positive A-plate and the absorption axis of the polarizer described later is more preferably 0 to 5 or 85 to 95.

[0262] In addition, in a case where the polarizing plate according to the embodiment of the present invention has a laminate of the polarizer, the positive C-plate, and the positive A-plate in this order, the angle between the slow axis of the positive A-plate and the absorption axis of the polarizer is still more preferably parallel to each other.

[0263] Similarly, in a case where the polarizing plate according to the embodiment of the present invention has a laminate of the polarizer, the positive A-plate, and the positive C-plate in this order, the angle between the slow axis of the positive A-plate and the absorption axis of the polarizer is still more preferably orthogonal to each other.

[0264] In a case where the polarizing plate according to the embodiment of the present invention is used in a liquid crystal display device described later, it is preferable that the angle formed by the slow axis of the liquid crystal cured layer and the absorption axis of the polarizer described later is parallel or orthogonal to each other.

[0265] In the present specification, the term parallel does not require that both the angle formed by the slow axis of the liquid crystal cured layer and the absorption axis of the polarizer are strictly parallel, but means that an angle between one and the other is less than 10. In addition, in the present specification, the term orthogonal does not require that both the angle formed by the slow axis of the liquid crystal cured layer and the absorption axis of the polarizer are strictly orthogonal, but means that an angle between one and the other is more than 80 and less than 100.

[Polarizer]

[0266] The polarizer included in the polarizing plate according to the embodiment of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as the polarizer is a member having a function of converting light into specific linearly polarized light, and a known absorptive type polarizer and reflective type polarizer in the related art can be used.

[0267] An iodine-based polarizer, a dye-based polarizer using a dichroic dye, a polyene-based polarizer, or the like is used as the absorptive type polarizer. The iodine-based polarizer and the dye-based polarizer include a coating type polarizer and a stretching type polarizer, and any one of these polarizers can be applied. However, a polarizer which is produced by allowing polyvinyl alcohol to adsorb iodine or a dichroic dye and performing stretching is preferable.

[0268] In addition, examples of a method of obtaining a polarizer by performing stretching and dyeing in a state of a laminated film in which a polyvinyl alcohol layer is formed on a substrate include methods disclosed in JP5048120B, JP5143918B, JP4691205B, JP4751481B, and JP4751486B, and known technologies related to these polarizers can be preferably used.

[0269] A polarizer in which thin films having different birefringence are laminated, a wire grid type polarizer, a polarizer in which a cholesteric liquid crystal having a selective reflection range and a wavelength plate are combined, or the like is used as the reflective type polarizer.

[0270] Among these, from the viewpoint of more excellent adhesiveness, a polarizer containing a polyvinyl alcohol-based resin (polymer including CH.sub.2CHOH as a repeating unit; in particular, at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl alcohol and an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer) is preferable.

[0271] In the present invention, a thickness of the polarizer is not particularly limited, but is preferably 3 m to 60 m, more preferably 5 m to 30 m, and still more preferably 5 m to 15 m.

[Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Layer]

[0272] The polarizing plate according to the embodiment of the present invention may include a pressure sensitive adhesive layer arranged between the liquid crystal cured layer in the optical film according to the embodiment of the present invention and the polarizer.

[0273] The pressure sensitive adhesive layer used for lamination of the liquid crystal cured layer and the polarizer is, for example, a substance in which a ratio (tan =G/G) of a loss elastic modulus G to a storage elastic modulus G is 0.001 to 1.5, where G and G are measured with a dynamic viscoelasticity measurement. Such a substance includes a so-called pressure sensitive adhesive or easily creepable substance. Examples of the pressure sensitive adhesive which can be used in the present invention include a polyvinyl alcohol-based pressure sensitive adhesive, but the pressure sensitive adhesive is not limited thereto.

[Image Display Device]

[0274] The image display device according to the embodiment of the present invention is an image display device including the optical film according to the embodiment of the present invention or the polarizing plate according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0275] A display element used in the image display device is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a liquid crystal cell, an organic electroluminescent (hereinafter, simply referred to as EL) display panel, and a plasma display panel. Among these, a liquid crystal cell or an organic EL display panel is preferable, and a liquid crystal cell is more preferable.

[0276] That is, as the image display device, a liquid crystal display device using a liquid crystal cell as the display element or an organic EL display device using an organic EL display panel as the display element is preferable, and the liquid crystal display device is more preferable.

[Liquid Crystal Display Device]

[0277] A liquid crystal display device as an example of the image display device is a liquid crystal display device including the above-described polarizing plate and a liquid crystal cell.

[0278] Among polarizing plates provided on both sides of the liquid crystal cell, it is preferable that the above-described polarizing plate is used as a polarizing plate on the front side, and it is more preferable that the above-described polarizing plate is used as polarizing plates on the front and rear sides.

[0279] Hereinafter, the liquid crystal cell constituting the liquid crystal display device will be described in detail.

<Liquid Crystal Cell>

[0280] It is preferable that the liquid crystal cell used in the liquid crystal display device is in a vertical alignment (VA) mode, an optically compensated bend (OCB) mode, an in-plane-switching (IPS) mode, a fringe-field-switching (FFS) mode, or a twisted nematic (TN) mode, but is not limited thereto.

[0281] In the liquid crystal cell in a TN mode, rod-like liquid crystalline molecules are substantially horizontally aligned at the time of no voltage application and further twisted and aligned at 600 to 120. The liquid crystal cell in a TN mode is most frequently used as a color TFT liquid crystal display device and is described in a plurality of documents.

[0282] In the liquid crystal cell in a VA mode, rod-like liquid crystalline molecules are substantially vertically aligned at the time of no voltage application. The concept of the liquid crystal cell in a VA mode includes (1) a liquid crystal cell in a VA mode in a narrow sense where rod-like liquid crystalline molecules are aligned substantially vertically at the time of no voltage application and substantially horizontally at the time of voltage application (described in JP1990-176625A (JP-H2-176625A)), (2) a liquid crystal cell (in an MVA mode) (SID97, described in Digest of tech. Papers (proceedings) 28 (1997) 845) in which the VA mode is formed to have multi-domain in order to expand the viewing angle, (3) a liquid crystal cell in a mode (n-ASM mode) in which rod-like liquid crystalline molecules are substantially vertically aligned at the time of no voltage application and twistedly multi-domain aligned at the time of voltage application (described in proceedings of Japanese Liquid Crystal Conference, pp. 58 to 59 (1998)), and (4) a liquid crystal cell in a SURVIVAL mode (presented at LCD International 98). In addition, the liquid crystal cell in the VA mode may be any of a patterned vertical alignment (PVA) type, an optical alignment type, or a polymer-sustained alignment (PSA) type. The details of these modes are described in JP2006-215326A and JP2008-538819A.

[0283] In an IPS mode liquid crystal cell, rod-like liquid crystal molecules are substantially aligned parallel to a substrate and application of an electric field parallel to a surface of the substrate causes the liquid crystal molecules to respond planarly. In the IPS mode, black display is carried out in a state where no electric field is applied, and absorption axes of a pair of upper and lower polarizing plates are orthogonal to each other. A method of reducing light leakage during black display in an oblique direction and improve the viewing angle using an optical compensation sheet is disclosed in JP1998-54982A (JP-H10-54982A), JP1999-202323A (JP-H11-202323A), JP1997-292522A (JP-H9-292522A), JP1999-133408A (JP-H11-133408A), JP1999-305217A (JP-H11-305217A), JP1998-307291A (JP-H10-307291A), and the like.

[Organic EL Display Device]

[0284] Examples of the organic EL display device which is an example of the image display device include an aspect which includes, from a viewing side, a polarizer, /4 plate consisting of the above-described liquid crystal cured layer (positive A-plate), and an organic EL display panel in this order.

[0285] In addition, the organic EL display panel is a display panel formed of an organic EL element obtained by sandwiching an organic light emitting layer (organic electroluminescence layer) between electrodes (between a cathode and an anode). The configuration of the organic EL display panel is not particularly limited, and a known configuration is employed.

EXAMPLES

[0286] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples. The materials, amounts used, proportions, treatment contents, treatment procedures, and the like shown in the following examples can be modified as appropriate in the range of not departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be construed as being limited to Examples.

Synthesis Example

[Synthesis of Intermediate (A-H)]

[0287] An intermediate (A-H) represented by Formula (A-H) was synthesized according to a method for synthesizing a compound I-1-e described in WO2019/111853A.

##STR00016##

[Synthesis of Intermediate (B-1)]

[0288] An intermediate (B-1) represented by Formula (B-1) was synthesized according to the following scheme.

##STR00017##

[0289] Specifically, 7.88 g (40.6 mmol) of monotetrahydropyranyl-protected hydroquinone synthesized by a method described in JP2010-031223A, 10.0 g (36.9 mmol) of 6-bromohexylbenzyl ether synthesized by a method described in Chemistry Letters (2000), (12), 1352-1355, and 7.65 g (55.4 mmol) of potassium carbonate were taken and dissolved or dispersed in 200 mL of dimethylacetamide.

[0290] Next, the mixture was stirred at 100 C. in a nitrogen atmosphere. Thereafter, the mixture was cooled to room temperature, pure water and methyl isobutyl ketone were added thereto, and the recovered organic layer was washed with a sodium hydroxide aqueous solution and pure water, dehydrated, filtered, and then concentrated under reduced pressure. Methanol was added to the residue, the generated precipitate was filtered, and the residue was vacuum-dried to obtain 12.5 g (32.5 mmol, 88%) of the intermediate (B-1).

[Synthesis of Intermediate (B-2)]

[0291] An intermediate (B-2) represented by Formula (B-2) was synthesized according to the following scheme.

##STR00018##

[0292] Specifically, 12.0 g (31.2 mmol) of the intermediate (B-1) was dissolved in 200 mL of tetrahydrofuran (hereinafter, abbreviated as THF), 50 mL of 2N hydrochloric acid solution was further added thereto, and the mixture was stirred under a nitrogen atmosphere at 60 C. 200 mL of saturated saline was added to the reaction solution and further stirred, and the separated organic layer was recovered. The recovered organic layer was dehydrated, filtered, and then concentrated under reduced pressure. Furthermore, hexane was added to the organic layer, the mixture was stirred under ice cooling, the precipitated powder was filtered, and the residue was vacuum-dried to obtain 7.5 g (25.0 mmol, 80%) of the intermediate (B-2).

[Synthesis of Intermediate (B-3)]

[0293] An intermediate (B-3) represented by Formula (B-3) was synthesized according to the following scheme.

##STR00019##

[0294] Specifically, 7.0 g (23.3 mmol) of the intermediate (B-2) was dissolved in 100 mL of THF, and 14.6 g (69.8 mmol) of cyclohexanecarbonyl chloride was added thereto in a powder form while stirring the mixture under ice cooling at 0 C. Furthermore, 4.72 g (46.6 mmol) of triethylamine was added thereto, and the mixture was stirred at 0 C. for 2 hours. After the reaction, 50 mL of water was added thereto, and the mixture was stirred for 1 hour, and then 200 mL of methanol was added dropwise thereto to collect the precipitate by filtration. The crude product was recrystallized with THF-methanol to obtain 5.2 g (11.4 mmol, 49%) of the intermediate (B-3).

[Synthesis of Intermediate (BH)]

[0295] An intermediate (BH) represented by Formula (BH) was synthesized according to the following scheme.

##STR00020##

[0296] Specifically, 5.0 g (11.0 mmol) of the intermediate (B-3) was dissolved in 50 mL of THF, 0.5 g of 10% palladium on carbon was added thereto, and the mixture was stirred for 3 hours in a hydrogen atmosphere. The reaction solution was filtered with Celite, methanol was added thereto, and the precipitate was filtered. 3.81 g (10.5 mmol, 95%) of the intermediate (BH) was obtained.

Example 1

[Preparation of Liquid Crystal Composition]

[0297] A liquid crystal composition 1 containing liquid crystal compounds (1-A), (1-B), and (1-C) represented by Formulae (1-A), (1-B), and (1-C) was prepared according to the following scheme.

##STR00021##

[0298] Specifically, 9.0 g (23.7 mmol) of an intermediate (A) represented by Formula (A), 1.0 g (3.1 mmol) of the intermediate (A-H) represented by Formula (A-H), 40 mL of toluene, 15 mL of N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and 150 mg of 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenol were mixed at room temperature, and the mixture was cooled to be an internal temperature of 5 C. 2.9 mL (40.2 mmol) of thionyl chloride (SOCl.sub.2) was added dropwise to the mixture while the internal temperature was not elevated to 10 C. or higher. After stirring at 5 C. for 1 hour, a tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution (50 mL) of 3.0 g (12.1 mmol) of a core body (1-1) represented by Formula (1-1) was added thereto. 11.6 mL (66.4 mmol) of N,N-diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA) was added dropwise thereto and then the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hours. After stirring the mixture, 40 mL of a 1 N aqueous hydrochloric acid solution and 40 mL of ethyl acetate were added thereto to stop the reaction, and the mixture was subjected to liquid separation. The organic layer was washed with 10% saline, isopropanol 60 mL and methanol 40 mL were added dropwise thereto in this order, and then the mixture was cooled to 5 C. to collect the precipitated crystals by filtration.

[0299] The product was analyzed by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and it was confirmed that the liquid crystal compounds (1-A)/(1-B)/(1-C) were contained in a mass ratio of 85/7/8. In addition, from the mass spectrometry (MS) spectrum of each component, it was confirmed that molecular weights of the liquid crystal compounds (1-A)/(1-B)/(1-C) were 972.39/918.38/936.35 (M+). In addition, from the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum of each component, it was confirmed that all of the liquid crystal compounds (1-A)/(1-B)/(1-C) had a maximal absorption wavelength at a wavelength of 355 nm.

Example 2

[Preparation of Liquid Crystal Composition 2]A liquid crystal composition 2 containing liquid crystal compounds (1-A) and (2) represented by Formulae (1-A) and (2) was prepared according to the following scheme.

##STR00022##

[0300] Specifically, 10 g (10.3 mmol) of a compound (1-A) represented by Formula (1-A) and synthesized by a method described in WO2019/017445A was dissolved in 100 mL of THF, 0.13 g (1.0 mmol) of dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) and 1.0 mL of 1N hydrochloric acid were added thereto, and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hours. After stirring, 100 mL of methanol was added thereto, and the precipitated crystals were collected by filtration.

[0301] The product was analyzed by LC-MS, and it was confirmed that the liquid crystal compounds (1-A)/(2) were contained in a mass ratio of 99/1. In addition, from the MS spectrum, it was confirmed that a molecular weight of a cation component of the liquid crystal compound (2) was 1095.48. In addition, from the UV spectrum of each component, it was confirmed that the liquid crystal compound (2) had a maximal absorption wavelength at a wavelength of 355 nm.

Example 3

[Preparation of Liquid Crystal Composition]

[0302] A liquid crystal composition 3 containing liquid crystal compounds (3-A), (3-B), and (3-C) represented by Formulae (3-A), (3-B), and (3-C) was prepared according to the following scheme.

##STR00023##

[0303] Specifically, a liquid crystal composition 3 was prepared by the same method as in the liquid crystal composition 1, except that the intermediate (B) represented by Formula (B) was used instead of the intermediate (A), the intermediate (BH) represented by Formula (BH) was used instead of the intermediate (A-H), and the core body (2-1) represented by Formula (2-1) was used instead of the core body (1-1).

[0304] The product was analyzed by LC-MS, and it was confirmed that the liquid crystal compounds (3-A)/(3-B)/(3-C) were contained in a mass ratio of 83/8/9. In addition, from the MS spectrum of each component, it was confirmed that molecular weights of the liquid crystal compounds (3-A)/(3-B)/(3-C) were 1128.41/1074.40/1092.37 (M+). In addition, from the UV spectrum of each component, it was confirmed that all of the liquid crystal compounds (3-A)/(3-B)/(3-C) had a maximal absorption wavelength at a wavelength of 355 nm. The liquid crystal composition 3 was purified by column chromatography to isolate the liquid crystal compounds (3-B) and (3-C). The MS spectrum of the liquid crystal compound (3-B) was m/z: 1074.40 (100.0%) and 1075.40 (66.6%); and the MS spectrum of the liquid crystal compound (3-C) was m/z: 1092.37 (100.0%) and 1093.37 (66.6%).

[Synthesis of Liquid Crystal Compound (3-A)]

[0305] 1.2 g (26.8 mmol) of the intermediate compound (B), 40 mL of toluene, 15 mL of N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), and 150 mg of 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenol were mixed at room temperature, and the mixture was cooled to be an internal temperature of 5 C. 2.9 mL (40.2 mmol) of thionyl chloride (SOCl.sub.2) was added dropwise to the mixture while the internal temperature was not elevated to 10 C. or higher. After stirring at 5 C. for 1 hour, a tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution (50 mL) of 4.0 g (12.2 mmol) of the core body (2-1) was added thereto. 11.6 mL (66.4 mmol) of N,N-diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA) was added dropwise thereto and then the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 hours. After stirring the mixture, 40 mL of a 1 N aqueous hydrochloric acid solution and 40 mL of ethyl acetate were added thereto to stop the reaction, and the mixture was subjected to liquid separation. The organic layer was washed with 10% saline, isopropanol 60 mL and methanol 40 mL were added dropwise thereto in this order, and then the mixture was cooled to 5 C. to collect the precipitated crystals by filtration. The crude product was purified by column chromatography to obtain 5.0 g (4.4 mmol, 36%) of the liquid crystal compound (3-A).

Example 4

[Preparation of Liquid Crystal Composition]

[0306] A liquid crystal composition 4 containing liquid crystal compounds (3-A) and (4) represented by Formulae (3-A) and (4) was prepared according to the following scheme.

##STR00024##

[0307] Specifically, a liquid crystal composition 4 was prepared by the same method as in the liquid crystal composition 2, except that the compound (3-A) represented by Formula (3-A) was used instead of the compound (1-A).

[0308] The product was analyzed by LC-MS, and it was confirmed that the liquid crystal compounds (3-A)/(4) were contained in a mass ratio of 99/1. In addition, from the MS spectrum, it was confirmed that a molecular weight of a cation component of the compound (4) was 1251.50. In addition, from the UV spectrum of each component, it was confirmed that the compound (4) had a maximal absorption wavelength at a wavelength of 355 nm.

Example 5

[Preparation of Liquid Crystal Composition]

[0309] A liquid crystal composition 5 containing liquid crystal compounds (5-A), (5-B), and (5-C) represented by Formulae (5-A), (5-B), and (5-C) was prepared according to the following scheme.

##STR00025##

[0310] Specifically, a liquid crystal composition 5 was prepared by the same method as in the liquid crystal composition 1, except that the intermediate (B) was used instead of the intermediate (A), the intermediate (BH) was used instead of the intermediate (A-H), and the core body (3-1) represented by Formula (3-1) was used instead of the core body (1-1).

[0311] The product was analyzed by LC-MS, and it was confirmed that the liquid crystal compounds (5-A)/(5-B)/(5-C) were contained in a mass ratio of 82/9/9. In addition, from the MS spectrum of each component, it was confirmed that molecular weights of the liquid crystal compounds (5-A)/(5-B)/(5-C) were 1111.44/1057.43/1075.39 (M+). In addition, from the UV spectrum of each component, it was confirmed that all of the liquid crystal compounds (5-A)/(5-B)/(5-C) had a maximal absorption wavelength at a wavelength of 349 nm. The liquid crystal composition 5 was purified by column chromatography to isolate the liquid crystal compounds (5-B) and (5-C). The MS spectrum of the liquid crystal compound (5-B) was m/z: 1057.43 (100.0%) and 1058.43 (67.4%); and the MS spectrum of the liquid crystal compound (5-C) was m/z: 1075.39 (100.0%) and 1076.40 (66.1%).

[Synthesis of Liquid Crystal Compound (5-A)]

[0312] The liquid crystal compound (5-A) was synthesized by the same method as in the liquid crystal compound (3-A), except that the core body (2-1) was changed to the core body (3-1).

Example 6

[Preparation of Liquid Crystal Composition 6]

[0313] A liquid crystal composition 6 containing liquid crystal compounds (5-A) and (6) represented by Formulae (5-A) and (6) was prepared according to the following scheme.

##STR00026##

[0314] Specifically, a liquid crystal composition 6 was prepared by the same method as in the liquid crystal composition 2, except that the liquid crystal compound (5-A) represented by Formula (5-A) was used instead of the compound (1-A).

[0315] The product was analyzed by LC-MS, and it was confirmed that the liquid crystal compounds (5-A)/(6) were contained in a mass ratio of 99/1. In addition, from the MS spectrum, it was confirmed that a molecular weight of a cation component of the compound (6) was 1234.53. In addition, from the UV spectrum of each component, it was confirmed that the compound (6) had a maximal absorption wavelength at a wavelength of 349 nm.

Comparative Examples 1 and 2

[0316] As Comparative Examples 1 and 2, the liquid crystal compound (3-A) and the liquid crystal compound (5-A) described above were used, respectively.

[Evaluation]

[Stretchability]

[0317] A coating liquid (liquid crystal composition) having the following formulation was prepared, and the coating liquid was applied onto a PET (thickness: 75 m) manufactured by FUJIFILM Corporation, which had been subjected to a rubbing treatment, by bar coating. The coating film was subjected to an alignment treatment at 140 C. to form a liquid crystal layer. Thereafter, the liquid crystal layer was cooled to 60 C. and subjected to alignment fixation by irradiation with ultraviolet rays at 300 mJ/cm.sup.2 to form a liquid crystal cured layer, thereby producing an optical film for evaluating stretchability. It was confirmed that the obtained optical films had reverse wavelength dispersibility by measuring wavelength dispersibility using AxoScan (manufactured by Axometrics, Inc.).

TABLE-US-00001 Coating liquid Liquid crystal compound (compound or 15.00 parts by mass composition described in Table 1) Photopolymerization initiator (IRGACURE 819, 0.45 parts by mass manufactured by BASF) Fluorine-containing compound A shown below 0.12 parts by mass Chloroform 35.00 parts by mass Flourine-containing compound A [00027]

[0318] The obtained optical film was cut into a size of 1 cm5 cm to prepare a sample. The upper end 1 cm and the lower end 1 cm of the sample were gripped with a jig, and a tensile test was carried out at a speed of 300 mm/sec in an atmosphere of 150 C. using a thermal tensilon (RTF-1310 manufactured by A&D Company, Limited and a constant temperature test device TKC), and then a state of the liquid crystal cured layer in the sample was observed, and a breaking elongation of the liquid crystal cured layer was measured based on the following expression. Distance between reference points at breakage in the following expression means a distance between reference points in a case where the liquid crystal layer in the sample was broken.

[00003]$\begin{array}{cc}\mathrm{Breaking}\mathrm{elongation}\left(\%\right)=\left\{\left(\mathrm{Distance}\mathrm{between}\mathrm{reference}\mathrm{points}\mathrm{at}\mathrm{breakage}-\mathrm{Distance}\mathrm{between}\mathrm{reference}\mathrm{points}\mathrm{before}\mathrm{test}\right)/\left(\mathrm{Distance}\mathrm{between}\mathrm{reference}\mathrm{points}\mathrm{before}\mathrm{test}\right)\right\}100& \mathrm{Expression}\end{array}$

<Standard>

[0319] A: breaking elongation was 30% or more. [0320] B: breaking elongation was 10% or more and less than 30%. [0321] C: breaking elongation was less than 10%.

[Precipitability]

[0322] 20 L of the coating liquid prepared as described above was dropped onto a glass plate, and the plate was left at 25 C. for 1 hour, and precipitation property of the solid film was visually observed. Specifically, the area of the white turbid portion (whitened portion) was estimated with respect to the area of the solid film, and precipitability was determined by an indicator of 1 to 3 according to the following determination criterion. The results are shown in Table 1.

<Standard>

[0323] Precipitability 1: whitening in a portion of 75% or more and 100% or less [0324] Precipitability 2: whitening in a portion of 25% or more and less than 75% [0325] Precipitability 3: whitening in a portion of less than 25%

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 1 Liquid crystal compound in Stretch- Precipita- coating liquid ability bility Example 1 Liquid crystal composition 1 A 3 Example 2 Liquid crystal composition 2 B 3 Example 3 Liquid crystal composition 3 A 3 Example 4 Liquid crystal composition 4 B 3 Example 5 Liquid crystal composition 5 A 3 Example 6 Liquid crystal composition 6 B 3 Comparative Liquid crystal compound (3-A) C 1 Example 1 Comparative Liquid crystal compound (5-A) C 1 Example 2

[0326] From the results shown in Table 1, it was found that, in a case where the second liquid crystal compound was not contained, the liquid crystal composition was not capable of suppressing the precipitability, and the stretchability of the liquid crystal cured layer to be produced was also deteriorated (Comparative Examples 1 and 2).

[0327] On the other hand, it was found that, in the liquid crystal composition containing the first liquid crystal compound and the second liquid crystal compound, the precipitability was suppressed, and the stretchability of the liquid crystal cured layer to be produced was also favorable (Examples 1 to 6).

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCES

[0328] 10: optical film [0329] 12: liquid crystal cured layer [0330] 14: alignment film [0331] 16: support