Liquid crystal display and optical compensatory sheet and process for preparation of the same

A process for preparation of an optical compensatory sheet having negative birefringence, which comprises the steps of:

• coating a solution which contains a polymerizable discotic compound having liquid crystalline property, on an orientation layer provided on a transparent support to form a coated layer,
• heating the coated layer to form a discotic nematic phase,
• radiating light on the coated layer to cure, and
• cooling the cured layer.

A liquid crystalline composition which comprising a polymerizable discotic compound having liquid crystalline property and a polymerizable compound having the formula (4), (5) or (6):

• (X).sub.n1 D1[O--(L1).sub.s1 --P1].sub.k1 ( 4)
• wherein D1 represents a benzene ring or naphthalene ring, X represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms, k1 represents 1, 2 or 3 under the condition of n1+k1=6 when D1 represents a benzene ring and k1 represents 1, 2 or 3 under the condition of n1+k1=8 when D1 represents a naphthalene ring, s1 represents 0 or 1, L1 is the following group:
• ##STR78## in which each of R.sup.51 and R.sup.52 represents independently a hydrogen atom or a methyl group,
• and P1 represents the following group;
• ##STR79## in which R.sup.47 represents an alkyleneoxy group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, j4 represents an integer of 0 to 4, R.sup.48 represents an alkylene group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms, g4 represents an integer of 0 to 4, and each of R.sup.44, R.sup.45 and R.sup.46 represents independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms;
• (Y).sub.n2 D2[O--(L2).sub.s2 --P2].sub.k2 ( 5)
• wherein D2 represents a benzene ring or naphthalene ring, Y represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms, k2 represents 1, 2 or 3 under the condition of n2+k2=6 when D2 represents a benzene ring and k2 represents 1, 2 or 3 under the condition of n2+k2=8 when D2 represents a naphthalene ring, s2 represents 0 or 1, L2 is the following group:
• ##STR80## in which each of R.sup.51 and R.sup.52 represents independently a hydrogen atom or methyl group,
• and P2 represents the following group:
• ##STR81## in which R.sup.57 represents an alkyleneoxy group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, j5 represents an integer of 0 to 4, R.sup.58 represents an alkylene group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms, g5 represents an integer of 0 to 4, h5 represents 0 or 1, and each of R.sup.54, R.sup.55 and R.sup.56 represents independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms;
• (Z).sub.n3 D3[O--(L3).sub.s3 --P3].sub.k3 ( 6)
• wherein D3 represents a benzene ring or naphthalene ring, Z represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms, k3 represents 1, 2 or 3 under the condition of n3+k3=6 when D3 represents a benzene ring and k2 represents 1, 2 or 3 under the condition of n3+k3=8 when D3 represents a naphthalene ring, s3 represents 0 or 1, L3 is the following group:
• ##STR82## in which each of R.sup.61 and R.sup.62 represents independently a hydrogen atom or methyl group,
• and P3 represents the following group:
• ##STR83## in which R.sup.67 represents an alkyleneoxy group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, j6 represents an integer of 0 to 4, R.sup.68 represents an alkylene group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms, g6 represents an integer of 0 to 4, and each of R.sup.64, R.sup.65 and R.sup.66 represents independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms.

A compound having the formula (7):

• (Q).sub.n4 D4(O--L4--P4).sub.k4 ( 7)
• wherein D4 represents a benzene ring or naphthalene ring, Q represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms, k4 represents 1, 2 or 3 under the condition of n4+k4=6 when D4 represents a benzene ring and k4 represents 1, 2 or 3 under the condition of n4+k4=8 when D4 represents a naphthalene ring, L4 is the following group:
• ##STR93## in which each of R.sup.71 and R.sup.72 represents independently a hydrogen atom or a methyl group,
• and P4 represents the following group:
• ##STR94## which R.sup.77 represents an alkyleneoxy group of 1 to 6 carbon atoms, j7 represents an integer of 0 to 4, R.sup.78 represents an alkylene group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms, g7 represents an integer of 0 to 4, and each of R.sup.74, R.sup.75 and R.sup.76 represents independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms.