Abstract: The present invention provides a photoalignment film composition containing a compound represented by general formula (1) and a compound having a hydrophilic group and a (meth)acryloyloxy group, an optically anisotropic medium using a photoalignment film comprised of the photoalignment film composition, and a method for preparing thereof: (wherein, R1 and R2 respectively and independently represent a hydrogen atom, halogen atom, carboxyl group or alkali metal salt thereof, halogenated methyl group, halogenated methoxy group, cyano group, nitro group, —OR5, hydroxylalkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, —CONR6R7 or methoxycarbonyl group, and R3 and R4 respectively and independently represent a carboxyl group or alkali metal salt thereof, sulfo group or alkali metal salt thereof, nitro group, amino group, carbamoyl group, alkoxycarbonyl group, sulfamoyl group or hydroxyl group).

Abstract: According to a composition for a photo-alignment film of the present invention, which includes an azo compound and a polymer that exhibits mutual solubility with the azo compound, an adhesion to a substrate, particularly to a plastic substrate, is improved within both a photo-alignment film having a haze of not more than 1 obtained by forming a layer of the above composition for a photo-alignment film on a substrate and subsequently irradiating the layer with light to generate a liquid crystal alignment ability; and an optically anisotropic medium, wherein a layer (A) obtained by irradiating a layer of the above composition for a photo-alignment film with light to generate a liquid crystal alignment ability, and a polymer layer (B) obtained by polymerizing a liquid crystal compound having a polymerizable group in an aligned state generated by the layer (A) are bonded and laminated together by covalent bonds.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to obtain a polymer-stabilized liquid crystal composition which can suppress dependency of a driving voltage on a temperature by decreasing the driving voltage. To a low-molecular liquid crystal compound, a chiral compound, and a specific acrylate and a polymerizable liquid crystal compound as polymerizable acrylate compounds are added, to prepare a polymer-stabilized liquid crystal composition. By subjecting the polymer-stabilized liquid crystal composition to ultraviolet exposure while maintaining a desired alignment state to form a polymer chain in a liquid crystal phase, a polymer-stabilized liquid crystal display device containing a low-molecular liquid crystal in a stabilized alignment state is obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photoalignment film composition containing a compound represented by general formula (1) and a compound having a hydrophilic group and a (meth)acryloyloxy group, an optically anisotropic medium using a photoalignment film comprised of the photoalignment film composition, and a method for preparing thereof: (wherein, R1 and R2 respectively and independently represent a hydrogen atom, halogen atom, carboxyl group or alkali metal salt thereof, halogenated methyl group, halogenated methoxy group, cyano group, nitro group, —OR5, hydroxylalkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, —CONR6R7 or methoxycarbonyl group, and R3 and R4 respectively and independently represent a carboxyl group or alkali metal salt thereof, sulfo group or alkali metal salt thereof, nitro group, amino group, carbamoyl group, alkoxycarbonyl group, sulfamoyl group or hydroxyl group).

Abstract: A polymerizable liquid crystal composition includes a liquid crystal compound having a polymerizable group, wherein the composition includes from 0.1 to 6.0% by weight of a (meth)acrylic copolymer (H), which 1) has a side chain containing a fluorine group, and a side chain containing a group represented by a general formula (h): 2) has a fluorine group content of 3 to 30% by weight, 3) has a ratio of side chains containing the group represented by the general formula (h) relative to the combined total of all side chains that falls within a range from 9 to 95 mol %, and 4) has a weight average molecular weight within a range from 10,000 to 300,000.

Abstract: A polymerizable liquid crystal composition includes a liquid crystal compound having a polymerizable group, wherein the composition includes from 0.1 to 6.0% by weight of a (meth)acrylic copolymer (H), which 1) has a side chain containing a fluorine group, and a side chain containing a group represented by a general formula (h): 2) has a fluorine group content of 3 to 30% by weight, 3) has a ratio of side chains containing the group represented by the general formula (h) relative to the combined total of all side chains that falls within a range from 9 to 95 mol %, and 4) has a weight average molecular weight within a range from 10,000 to 300,000.

Abstract: A solid catalyst component for olefin polymerization characterized by being formed from (a) a magnesium compound, (b) titanium tetrachloride, (c) a phthalic diester and a derivative thereof, and either (d1) a hydroxylated hydrocarbon compound (phenol, etc.) represented by a specific formula or (d2) a mercapto-containing hydrocarbon compound (thiophenol, etc.) represented by a specific formula. With a catalyst obtained from this solid catalyst component, an olefin polymer can be obtained in extremely high yield. In particular, a propylene polymer which retains high stereoregularity can be obtained in extremely high yield.

Abstract: Solid catalyst components and catalysts which contain (a) magnesium compound, (b) titanium tetrachloride, and (c) a phthalic acid diester or its derivative are useful in the synthesis of olefin polymers in high yields. Particularly, propylene polymers can be obtain in very high yields while retaining high stereoregularity.

Abstract: A solid catalyst component for olefin polymerization characterized by being formed from (a) a magnesium compound, (b) titanium tetrachloride, (c) a phthalic diester and a derivative thereof, and either (d1) a hydroxylated hydrocarbon compound (phenol, etc.) represented by a specific formula or (d2) a mercapto-containing hydrocarbon compound (thiophenol, etc.) represented by a specific formula. With a catalyst obtained from this solid catalyst component, an olefin polymer can be obtained in extremely high yield.

Abstract: A phthalic acid diester derivative represented by a specific formula and an electron donor used in an olefin polymerization catalyst containing the phthalic acid diester derivative as an effective component. The electron donor can produce polymers with a high stereoregularity at an extremely high polymerization activity and high yield, and exhibit a high response to hydrogen.

Abstract: Solid catalyst components and catalysts which comprise (a) a magnesium compound, (b) titanium tetra chloride, and (c) a phthalic acid diester or its derivative represented by a particular formula, can afford polymers of olefins in very high yield. Particularly, propylene polymers can be obtained in very high yield while retaining high stereoregularity. Moreover, they have high responsiveness to hydrogen.

Abstract: A phthalic acid diester derivative represented by a specific formula and an electron donor used in an olefin polymerization catalyst containing the phthalic acid diester derivative as an effective component. The electron donor can produce polymers with a high stereoregularity at an extremely high polymerization activity and high yield, and exhibit a high response to hydrogen.

Abstract: The present invention is a solid catalyst component for polymerization of olefins prepared by contacting a magnesium compound, a tetravalent halogen-containing titanium compound, a diester of an aromatic dicarboxylic acid, an aromatic hydrocarbon and an organic aluminum compound containing a hydroxyl group represented by the following general formula (R1CO2)mAl(OH)3-m or aluminum hydroxide. The catalyst for polymerization of olefins comprising said solid catalyst component, an organic aluminum compound represented by the general formula R2pAlQ3-p and an organic silicon compound represented by the general formula R3qSi(OR4)4-q can retard the rate of forming a polymer having a low molecular weight or a low stereoregular polymer which is soluble in a polymerization solvent in slurry polymerization and can obtain a high stereoregular polymer in a high yield, and also can obtain a copolymer having an excellent property in a high yield in the copolymerization of olefins.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solid catalyst component for polymerization of olefins prepared by allowing a magnesium compound, a titanium compound and an electron donor compound to come in contact with each other, and having a value that a parameter of S1/S2 determined by Raman spectroscopic analysis is not less than 0.5 and not more than 10, wherein S1 and S2 are the values determined by Raman spectroscopic analysis, and S1 is a value of peak area of the strongest peak appeared in the range from 360 to 520 cm−1 and S2 is a value of peak area of the strongest peak appeared in the range from 160 to 340 cm−1. A catalyst comprising the solid catalyst component, an organic aluminum compound and an organic silicon compound is superior in hydrogen response and can produce a polymer of olefins having a high stereoregularity in a high yield.

Abstract: A recording display medium is provided which can offer a high display contrast and is less likely to cause a lowering of contrast or disappearance of display even in low temperature and high temperature regions. A smectic liquid crystal composition, for use in the recording display medium, and use of the recording display medium are also provided. The liquid crystal composition comprises: at least one member selected from the group constituting of compounds represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents an alkyl or alkoxy group having 8 to 18 carbon atoms; and at least one member selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by the following general formulae (II) to (VII): ##STR2## wherein R.sup.2, R.sup.4, R.sup.5, and R.sup.6 represent an alkyl group having 2 to 18 carbon atoms, R.sup.3, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, and R.sup.

Abstract: This invention provides novel ester compounds represented by the following general formula (1): ##STR1## (wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are alkyl groups and may be the same or not, A and B are selected from a single bond and --COO--, X is selected from ##STR2## optically active bodies thereof and liquid crystal compositions containing at least one of these compounds.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel alkanoyl ester compound represented by general formula (I): ##STR1## (wherein A is of --, --O--, ##STR2## B is ##STR3## l and m are 1 or 2 provided that both are not simultaneously 2, k and n are an integer of 1 or more, respectively, provided that k>n, and R is an alkyl group), a liquid crystal composition containing this compound, a novel alkanoylphenyl compound or a novel alkanoylbiphenyl compound as an intermediate for the production of the above compound, and a method of producing the same. These novel alkanoyl ester compounds are excellent in the stability against light and the like and can take a liquid crystal state at a wide temperature range. Particularly, these compounds form liquid crystals of ferroelectricity having a large spontaneous polarization and a fast response rate by introducing an optically active group into the compound, so that they develop a very excellent effect as a starting material for optoelectronics and its related elements.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel halogen-containing ester compound represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## (wherein R is an alkyl group, A is selected from a single bond, --O--, --COO-- and --CO--, both of X and Y are halogen atoms or either one of X and Y is a halogen atom and the other is a hydrogen atom, each of m and n is 0 or 1, m+n=0 or 1, each of k and l is an integer of 1 or more, provide k<l), a liquid crystal composition and a light switching element each containing the above compound as well as a novel fluorophenol compound represented by the following general formula (II): ##STR2## (wherein each of k and l is an integer of 1 or more, provided k<l) as an intermediate for the synthesis of the above ester compound and a method of producing the same.

Abstract: This invention provides novel biphenyl compounds represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## (wherein R is an alkyl group, A is selected from the single bond, --COO--, --OCO--, --OCOO-- and --CO--, and each of m and n is an integer of 1 or more, provided m<n), optically active bodies thereof, liquid crystal compositions containing at least one of these compounds, light switching elements comprising at least one of the above compounds as a constituent element, and a method of producing the compound.