Abstract: A compound represented by the following general formula (1a) or (1b), a liquid crystal composition containing the compound, and a polymer obtained by polymerizing the compound or the composition: wherein R1 represents a fluorine atom, an alkyl group or the like; Y1 and Y2 each independently represents alkylene or the like; A1, A2, B1 and B2 each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene or the like; X1 and X2 each independently represents a single bond, —COO—, —OCO— or the like; m represents 0, 1 or 2; and G represents hydrogen, methyl or the like.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid-crystalline, polymerizable vinyl ketone compound of formula (1): Preferably, R1 is hydrogen, halogen, —CN, —CF3, —CF2H, —CFH2, —OCF3, —OCF2H, or alkyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl or alkenyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; R2, R3 and R5 are hydrogen; A1 to A4 are independently 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-cyclohexenylene or 1,4-phenylene where any hydrogen may be substituted with halogen; Z1 to Z3 are independently a single bond, —(CH2)2—, —CH?CH—, —CF?CF—, —OCF2— or —CF2O—; Z4 is a single bond, —(CH2)3— or —(CH2)4—; m, n and q are independently 0, 1 or 2. The uppermost temperature of the liquid crystalline phase of the compound is high, and the compound has good compatibility with other compounds and has the necessary characteristics such as optical anisotropy.

Abstract: A compound represented by the following general formula (1a) or (1b), a liquid crystal composition containing the compound, and a polymer obtained by polymerizing the compound or the composition: wherein R1 represents a fluorine atom, an alkyl group or the like; Y1 and Y2 each independently represents alkylene or the like; A1, A2, B1 and B2 each independently represents 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene or the like; X1 and X2 each independently represents a single bond, —COO—, —OCO— or the like; m represents 0, 1 or 2; and G represents hydrogen, methyl or the like.

Abstract: Provided are a liquid-crystal compound and a liquid-crystal composition containing the compound, of which the advantages are that they show nematic hybrid orientation on a rubbed TAC substrate, they are polymerizable in open air and they readily give a polymer having a high degree of polymerization even when exposed to a relatively small total quantity of light. The films formed by photopolymerizing them keep nematic hybrid orientation. The compound is represented by formula (1): wherein R1 is a hydrogen or an alkyl; R2 is a hydrogen, —OCF3, etc.; A1 is a 1,4-phenylene, etc.; A2 and A3 are independently a 1,4-cyclohexylene, a 1,4-phenylene, etc.; X1 is a single bond, —O—, etc.; X2 and X3 are independently a single bond, —COO—, —C?C—, —CONH—, etc.; m is an integer of from 0 to 20; and n is 1 or 0.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid-crystalline, polymerizable vinyl ketone compound of formula (1): Preferably, R1 is hydrogen, halogen, —CN, —CF3, —CF2H, —CFH2, —OCF3, —OCF2H, or alkyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl or alkenyl having from 1 to 10 carbon atoms; R2, R3 and R5 are hydrogen; A1 to A4 are independently 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-cyclohexenylene or 1,4-phenylene where any hydrogen may be substituted with halogen; Z1 to Z3 are independently a single bond, —(CH2)2—, —CH?CH—, —CF?CF—, —OCF2— or —CF2O—; Z4 is a single bond, —(CH2)3— or —(CH2)4—; m, n and q are independently 0, 1 or 2. The uppermost temperature of the liquid crystalline phase of the compound is high, and the compound has good compatibility with other compounds and has the necessary characteristics such as optical anisotropy.