Composition for photo-alignment film, photo-alignment film and method for producing the same, liquid crystal cell, and liquid crystal display

A photo-alignment film comprising:

• a film made from a composition for a photo-alignment film,
• wherein the composition for a photo-alignment film comprises:
• a compound expressed by the following general formula (I);
• and
• a compound expressed by the following general formula (II):
• where in the above general formula (I), R1 is any of a hydrogen atom, a cyano group, —F, —Cl, —Br, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, —N(CH3)2, an alkylester group, and a group expressed by the following general formula (1);
• L1 and L2 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently any one selected from the group consisting of a single bond, —O—, —O—CO—, —O—CO—O—, —CO—O—, —S—, —N(CH3)—, —NH—, —N(CH3)—CO—, —NH—CO—, —CO—N(CH3)—, and —CO—NH—;
• an S1 and S2 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently one of a single bond and an optionally substituted alkylene group;
• Q1 is a polymerizable group;
• M1 is a group expressed by any of the following general formulae (2) to (8);
• R3 and R4 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently any one selected from the group consisting of —F, —Cl, —Br, —CH3, —OCH3, and —CN;
• P3 and P4 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently an integer of 0 to 4;
• and m is an integer of 0 to 3,
• where in the above general formula (1), L3 and L4 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently any one selected from the group consisting of a single bond, —O—, —O—CO—, —O—CO—O—, —CO—O—, —S—, —N(CH3)—, —NH—, —N(CH3)—CO—, —NH—CO—, —CO—N(CH3)—, and —CO—NH—;
• S3 and S4 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently one of a single bond and an optionally substituted alkylene group;
• Q2 is a polymerizable group;
• M2 is identical to or different from the M1 and is a group expressed by any of the following general formulae (2) to (8);
• and n is an integer of 0 to 3,
• where in the above general formula (2), R5 is any of —F, —Cl, —Br, —CH3, —OCH3, and —CN;
• and P5 is an integer of 0 to 4,
• where in the above general formula (II), R2 is one of a hydrogen atom and a methyl group, L5 is any of a single bond, —O—, —NH—, and —N(CH3)—;
• L6 and L7 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently any one selected from the group consisting of a single bond, —O—, —O—CO—, —O—CO—O—, —CO—O—, —S—, —N(CH3)—, —NH—, —N(CH3)—CO—, —NH—CO—, —CO—N(CH3)—, and —CO—NH—;
• S5 and S6 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently one of a single bond and an optionally substituted alkylene group;
• Q3 is a polymerizable group;
• M3 is identical to or different from one of the M1 and the M2, and is a group expressed by any of the above general formulae (2) to (8);
• x is an integer of 1 to 5;
• and a parenthesis ( )Y indicates a repeating unit wherein the compound expressed by formula (II) has a weight average molecular weight of 2,000 or more.

A method for producing a photo-alignment film, comprising:

• coating a surface of a support with a composition for a photo-alignment film;
• and
• irradiating a coating of the composition for a photo-alignment film with polarized light from any direction or unpolarized light from an oblique direction relative to a coating surface, as a first light irradiation step,
• wherein the composition for a photo-alignment film comprises:
• a compound expressed by the following general formula (I);
• and
• a compound expressed by the following general formula (II):
• where in the above general formula (I), R1 is any of a hydrogen atom, a cyano group, —F, —Cl, —Br, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group, —N(CH3)2, an alkylester group, and a group expressed by the following general formula (1);
• L1 and L2 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently any one selected from the group consisting of a single bond, —O—, —O—CO—, —O—CO—O—, —CO—O—, —S—, —N(CH3)—, —NH—, —N(CH3)—CO—, —NH—CO—, —CO—N(CH3)—, and —CO—NH—;
• S1 and S2 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently one of a single bond and an optionally substituted alkylene group;
• Q1 is a polymerizable group;
• M1 is a group expressed by any of the following general formulae (2) to (8);
• R3 and R4 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently any one selected from the group consisting of —F, —Cl, —Br, —CH3, —OCH3, and —CN;
• P3 and P4 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently an integer of 0 to 4;
• and m is an integer of 0 to 3,
• where in the above general formula (1), L3 and L4 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently any one selected from the group consisting of a single bond, —O—, —O—CO—, —O—CO—O—, —CO—O—, —S—, —N(CH3)—, —NH—, —N(CH3)—CO—, —NH—CO—, —CO—N(CH3)—, and —CO—NH—;
• S3 and S4 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently one of a single bond and an optionally substituted alkylene group;
• Q2 is a polymerizable group;
• M2 is identical to or different from the M1 and is a group expressed by any of the following general formulae (2) to (8);
• and n is an integer of 0 to 3,
• where in the above general formula (2), R5 is any of —F, —Cl, —Br, —CH3, —OCH3, and —CN;
• and P5 is an integer of 0 to 4,
• where in the above general formula (II), R2 is one of a hydrogen atom and a methyl group;
• L5 is any of a single bond, —O—, —NH—, and —N(CH3)—;
• L6 and L7 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently any one selected from the group consisting of a single bond, —O—, —O—CO—, —O—CO—O—, —CO—O—, —S—, —N(CH3)—, —NH—, —N(CH3)—CO—, —NH—CO—, —CO—N(CH3)—, and —CO—NH—;
• S5 and S6 are identical to or different from each other and are each independently one of a single bond and an optionally substituted alkylene group;
• Q3 is a polymerizable group;
• M3 is identical to or different from one of the M1 and the M2, and is a group expressed by any of the above general formulae (2) to (8);
• x is an integer of 1 to 5;
• and a parenthesis ( )Y indicates a repeating unit wherein the compound expressed by formula (II) has a weight average molecular weight of 2,000 or more.