Abstract: A liquid-crystalline mixture contains a liquid crystal composition and an azulenesquaric acid dye of the formula ##STR1## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 each have defined meanings, and is used for fabricating liquid crystal displays.

Abstract: Azulenesquaric acid dyes of the formula ##STR1## where L is substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkylene,R.sup.1 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 -alkyl, C.sub.5 -C.sub.7 -cycloalkyl or substituted or unsubstituted phenyl andR.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are each independently of the others hydrogen or substituted or unsubstituted C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl,with the proviso that when R.sup.5 is hydrogen the positions of the substituents CH.sub.2 --L--O--CO--NHR.sup.1 and R.sup.4 on an azulene ring may also be interchanged within a ring in either or both of the azulene rings, derived from azulene intermediates that contain urethane groups, are suitable for use in an optical recording medium.

Abstract: An optical recording medium comprises a support material and a light-absorbing layer consisting essentially of a soluble mixture of a thermoplastic binder and at least one dye, wherein the thermoplastic binder is a phenol-aldehyde resin having an average molecular weight of greater than 300 which is soluble in an alcohol having a boiling point of less than 200.degree. C.

Abstract: An optical recording medium contains a transparent base, a dye-containing layer which is sensitive to laser light and a reflector layer which contains a silicon-phthalocyanine derivative of the formula ##STR1## where R.sup.1 is hydrogen, alkyl, alkoxy, halogen or trialkylsilyl, n is 1, 2, 3 or 4 and A and B are identical or different and independently of one another are each alkyl, halogen or unsubstituted or substituted alkoxy or trialkylsilyloxy.

Abstract: An optical recording medium composed of a base material and a laser light sensitive layer which contains an azulenium dye as storage material with or without a binder is obtainable by spin-coating a solution containing an azulenium dye of the formula ##STR1## where R is C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 -alkyl which may be substituted or unsubstituted, and n is 1, 2 or 3, with or without a binder and one or more solvents which have evaporation numbers of not less than 4 and in which an azulenium dye of the abovementioned formula has a solubility of not less than 5 g/l onto a transparent base material based on a plastics material or glass.

Abstract: An optical recording medium containing a storage layer and, if required, one or two substrate layers, the storage layer containing graphite as the storage material, a process for the production of the novel optical recording medium, and its use as a Read Only Memory information carrier.

Abstract: Tetraphenyldithiolene complexes of the formula ##STR1## and novel asymmetrically substituted benzoins of the formula ##STR2## where X.sup.1, X.sup.2 and X have the meanings stated in the description and Me is nickel, palladium or platinum. The complexes have very high absorption in the range from 800 to 950 nm and are readily soluble in the plastics used for the production of optical recording materials.The recording materials produced using these complexes have a very high signal/noise ratio.

Abstract: The novel recording materials contain triquinocyclopropanes of the formula (I) ##STR1## where R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 independently of one another are each C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkyl, in a polymer layer, and can be written on and read by means of a semiconductor laser. The information written has a high signal-to-noise ratio.

Abstract: Dithiolene complexes of the formula ##STR1## where Me is nickel, palladium or platinum, and <A is ##STR2## are readily soluble in organic solvents and have a high absorption in the range from 750 to 850 nm and are therefore very useful for optical recording media.The complexes may furthermore be used as antioxidants, stabilizers, corrosion inhibitors or catalysts, or as protective layers for colored photographic layers.