Abstract: To provide a liquid crystalline composition, which can be obtained by mixing a plurality of liquid crystalline compositions each of which can exhibit different liquid crystal phases from one another, being capable of exhibiting a biaxial liquid crystal phase, a liquid crystalline composition contains a liquid crystalline composition R which exhibits a liquid crystal phase having a positive birefringence; and a liquid crystalline composition D which exhibits a liquid crystal phase having a negative birefringence, in which the liquid crystalline composition R comprises a compound having a rectangular plate-like shape.

Abstract: A new liquid crystal compound comprises two condensed and substituted rings. The ring preferably is a five-membered heterocyclic ring. The heterocyclic ring is preferably condensed with benzene ring or an aromatic six-membered heterocyclic ring. The benzene ring or the aromatic six-membered heterocyclic ring is preferably substituted with a group comprising a cyclic structure and a chain structure. The liquid crystal compound is advantageously used in preparation of a thin phase retarder, such as a wide-ranged ?/4 plate, which gives inverse wavelength distribution. The phase retarder can be easily produced according to a simple process by using the new liquid crystal compound.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystalline composition, which can be obtained by mixing a plurality of liquid crystalline composition search of which can exhibit different liquid crystal phases from one another, being capable of exhibiting a biaxial liquid crystal phase, a liquid crystalline composition contains a liquid crystalline composition R which exhibits a liquid crystal phase having a positive birefringence; and a liquid crystalline composition D which exhibits a liquid crystal phase having a negative birefringence, in which the liquid crystalline composition R comprises a compound having a rectangular plate-like shape.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystalline composition, which can be obtained by mixing a plurality of liquid crystalline compositions each of which can exhibit different liquid crystal phases from one another, being capable of exhibiting a biaxial liquid crystal phase, a liquid crystalline composition contains a liquid crystalline composition R which exhibits a liquid crystal phase having a positive birefringence; and a liquid crystalline composition D which exhibits a liquid crystal phase having a negative birefringence, in which the liquid crystalline composition R comprises a compound having a rectangular plate-like shape.

Abstract: An optically anisotropic element comprises a discotic compound. The discotic compound has an oriented discotic plane. The discotic compound has a molecular structure including a discotic core and 3 to 20 combinations of ester bonds (—O—CO—) and 1- or 2-alkenyl groups. The alkenyl group can have a polymerizable group as a substituent group positioned at the terminal. A polymerizable discotic compound having an oriented discotic plane can be polymerized to form an optically anisotropic element. Alignment of the oriented discotic plane is fixed by polymerization. A new triphenylene compound is also disclosed.

Abstract: An optically anisotropic element comprises a discotic compound. The discotic compound has an oriented discotic plane. The discotic compound has a molecular structure represented by the formula (I) of D(—O—CO—CR1?CR2—X—R3)n. In the formula (I), D is a discotic core, n is an integer of 3 to 20, each of R1 and R2 is hydrogen, a halogen atom or an alkyl group, X is —O—, —S— or —NR—, and R3 is an alkyl group or an aryl group. A polymerizable discotic compound having an oriented discotic plane can be polymerized to form an optically anisotropic element. Alignment of the oriented discotic plane is fixed by polymerization. A new discotic compound is also disclosed.

Abstract: A new liquid crystal compound comprises two condensed and substituted rings. The ring preferably is a five-membered heterocyclic ring. The heterocyclic ring is preferably condensed with benzene ring or an aromatic six-membered heterocyclic ring. The benzene ring or the aromatic six-membered heterocyclic ring is preferably substituted with a group comprising a cyclic structure and a chain structure. The liquid crystal compound is advantageously used in preparation of a thin phase retarder, such as a wide-ranged ?/4 plate, which gives inverse wavelength distribution. The phase retarder can be easily produced according to a simple process by using the new liquid crystal compound.

Abstract: A biaxial liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystal compound and a refractive index-controlling agent, which is capable of developing a biaxial liquid crystal phase, and has a value of (nx?ny)/(ny?nz) and a value of (nx0?ny0)/(ny0?nz0) different from each other wherein nx, ny and nz respectively represent refractive indexes along directions of three axes of the biaxial liquid crystal composition in an order of magnitude, and nx0, ny0 and nz0 respectively represent refractive indexes along directions of three axes of the biaxial composition obtained by excluding the refractive index-controlling agent from the biaxial liquid crystal composition in an order of magnitude.

Abstract: To provide a retardation film (optical compensation sheet) using a liquid crystal compound excellent in both the wavelength dispersion property and the refractive index anisotropy, disclosed is a retardation film having an optically anisotropic layer formed of a compound represented by formula (I): [(R1)a—M—(L1)]b—(L2), wherein R1 represents an alkyl group, at least one —CH2— group in the alkyl group may be substituted by —O—, —S—, —C(?O)—, —N(R2)—, —CH?CH— or —C?C—, R2 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, M represents a group comprising three or more aromatic rings, L1 represents a single bond or a divalent alkylene group, the —CH2— group in the alkylene group may be substituted by —O—, —S—, —C(?O)— or —N(R2)—, L2 represents a b-valent cyclic, alkene or alkyne group, a represents the number of R1s substituted to M, and b represents an integer of 2 to 6.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystalline compound capable of exhibiting a biaxial liquid crystal phase, provide a trifunctional or greater functional polymerizable liquid crystalline compound having polymerizable groups, and also to provide a liquid crystalline composition and a retardation film which are using the liquid crystalline compound, a compound and a liquid crystalline compound each are represented by formula (I) defined in the specification; a liquid crystalline composition contains the compound; and a retardation film has an optically anisotropic layer formed from the compound.

Abstract: A retardation plate having a high film strength and having an optical property is provided by using a biaxial liquid crystal compound, in which the direction having a minimum refractive index of the optically anisotropic thin layer almost coincides with the normal direction in the film plane of the retardation plate, and the retardation plate comprises a transparent support and at least one optically anisotropic layer containing a liquid crystal compound capable of expressing a biaxial liquid crystal phase, wherein the liquid crystal compound is a polymerizable compound and/or a polymer compound.

Abstract: An optical film comprises a transparent support and a polarizing layer. The polarizing layer selectively transmits polarized light, and selectively reflects or scatters other polarized light. The polarizing layer contains a compound represented by the formula (I) of Ar1—C?C—Ar3—C?C—Ar2. In the formula (I), each of Ar1 and Ar2 independently is a monovalent aromatic group, and Ar3 is a divalent aromatic group.

Abstract: An optically anisotropic element comprises a discotic compound. The discotic compound has an oriented discotic plane. The discotic compound has a molecular structure represented by the formula (I) of D(—O—CO—CR1?CR2—X—R3)n. In the formula (I), D is a discotic core, n is an integer of 3 to 20, each of R1 and R2 is hydrogen, a halogen atom or an alkyl group, X is —O—, —S— or —NR—, and R3 is an alkyl group or an aryl group. A polymerizable discotic compound having an oriented discotic plane can be polymerized to form an optically anisotropic element. Alignment of the oriented discotic plane is fixed by polymerization. A new discotic compound is also disclosed.

Abstract: An optically anisotropic element comprises a discotic compound. The discotic compound has an oriented discotic plane. The discotic compound has a molecular structure including a discotic core and 3 to 20 combinations of ester bonds (—O—CO—) and 1- or 2-alkenyl groups. The alkenyl group can have a polymerizable group as a substituent group positioned at the terminal. A polymerizable discotic compound having an oriented discotic plane can be polymerized to form an optically anisotropic element. Alignment of the oriented discotic plane is fixed by polymerization. A new triphenylene compound is also disclosed.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystalline composition, which can be obtained by mixing a plurality of liquid crystalline compositions each of which can exhibit different liquid crystal phases from one another, being capable of exhibiting a biaxial liquid crystal phase, a liquid crystalline composition contains a liquid crystalline composition R which exhibits a liquid crystal phase having a positive birefringence; and a liquid crystalline composition D which exhibits a liquid crystal phase having a negative birefringence, in which the liquid crystalline composition R comprises a compound having a rectangular plate-like shape.

Abstract: To provide a liquid crystalline compound capable of exhibiting a biaxial liquid crystal phase, provide a trifunctional or greater functional polymerizable liquid crystalline compound having polymerizable groups, and also to provide a liquid crystalline composition and a retardation film which are using the liquid crystalline compound, a compound and a liquid crystalline compound each are represented by formula (I) defined in the specification; a liquid crystalline composition contains the compound; and a retardation film has an optically anisotropic layer formed from the compound.

Abstract: To provide a retardation film having an optically anisotropic layer where the direction having a minimum refractive index is substantially orthogonal to the normal direction of the film plane, by using a liquid crystal compound without performing a stretching operation, and also provide an elliptically polarizing film using the retardation film, a retardation film includes a transparent support having thereon at least one optically anisotropic layer, the optically anisotropic layer containing a layer formed of at least one liquid crystal compound, preferably a polymerizable compound or a polymer compound of expressing a biaxial liquid crystal phase. Furthermore, it is preferable that the retardation film include an alignment film and the alignment film contains a polymer having a hydrophobic group or an exclude-volume group.

Abstract: To provide a retardation film (optical compensation sheet) using a liquid crystal compound excellent in both the wavelength dispersion property and the refractive index anisotropy, disclosed is a retardation film having an optically anisotropic layer formed of a compound represented by formula (I): [(R1)a-M-(L1)]b-(L2), wherein R1 represents an alkyl group, at least one —CH2— group in the alkyl group may be substituted by —O—, —S—, —C(═O)—, —N(R2)—, —CH═CH— or —C≡C—, R2 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, M represents a group comprising three or more aromatic rings, L1 represents a single bond or a divalent alkylene group, the —CH2— group in the alkylene group may be substituted by —O—, —S—, —C(═O)— or —N(R2)—, L2 represents a b-valent cyclic, alkene or alkyne group, a represents the number of R1s substituted to M, and b repres

Abstract: A biaxial liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystal compound and a refractive index-controlling agent, which is capable of developing a biaxial liquid crystal phase, and has a value of (nx−ny)/(ny−nz) and a value of (nx0−ny0)/(ny0−nz0) different from each other wherein nx, ny and nz respectively represent refractive indexes along directions of three axes of the biaxial liquid crystal composition in an order of magnitude, and nx0, ny0 and nz0 respectively represent refractive indexes along directions of three axes of the biaxial composition obtained by excluding the refractive index-controlling agent from the biaxial liquid crystal composition in an order of magnitude.

Abstract: A retardation plate having a high film strength and having an optical property is provided by using a biaxial liquid crystal compound, in which the direction having a minimum refractive index of the optically anisotropic thin layer almost coincides with the normal direction in the film plane of the retardation plate, and the retardation plate comprises a transparent support and at least one optically anisotropic layer containing a liquid crystal compound capable of expressing a biaxial liquid crystal phase, wherein the liquid crystal compound is a polymerizable compound and/or a polymer compound.