Liquid crystal composition containing polymerizable compound and liquid crystal display element using the same

A polymerizable-compound-containing liquid crystal composition comprising:

• as a first component, at least one polymerizable compound represented by general formula (I):
• (Z11)m11-M11-(L11-M12)n11-COO-(M13-L12)n12-M14(Z12)m12 (I)
• wherein Z11 and Z12 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a cyano group, a thiocyanate group, a trifluoromethoxy group, a trifluoromethyl group, a difluoromethoxy group, or an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms where a methylene group in the alkyl group may be substituted with an oxygen atom, a sulfur atom, —CO—, —COO—, —OCO—, —OCOO—, —CH═CH—, or —C≡C— as long as oxygen atoms are not directly bonded to each other, or Z11 and Z12 each independently represent -L13-S11—R11 where L13s each independently represent a single bond, —O—, —S—, —CH2—, —OCH2—, —CH2O—, —CO—, —C2H4—, —COO—, —OCO—, —OCOOCH2—, —CH2OCOO—, —CO—NRa—, —NRa—CO—, —SCH2—, —CH2S—, —CH═CRa—COO—, —CH═CRa—OCO—, —COO—CRa═CH—, —OCO—CRa═CH—, —COO—CRa═CH—COO—, —COO—CRa═CH—OCO—, —OCO—CRa═CH—COO—, —OCO—CRa═CH—OCO—, —COOC2H4—, —OCOC2H4—, —C2H4OCO—, —C2H4COO—, —CH2COO—, —CH2OCO—, —COOCH2—, —OCOCH2—, —CH═CH—, —CF═CF—, —CF═CH—, —CH═CF—, —CF2—, —CF2O—, —OCF2—, —CF2CH2—, —CH2CF2—, —CF2CF2—, or —C≡C— where Ras each independently represent a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms,
• S11s each independently represent an alkylene group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms or a single bond, where a methylene group in the alkylene group may be substituted with —O—, —COO—, —OCO—, or —OCOO— as long as oxygen atoms are not directly bonded to each other,
• R11s each independently represent any one of formulae (R-1) to (R-15):
• however, at least one of Z11 and Z12 represents -L13-S11—R11,
• M11 and M14 each independently represent a 1,4-phenylene group, a benzene-1,3,5-triyl group, a benzene-1,3,4-triyl group, a benzene-1,3,4,5-tetrayl group, a 1,4-cyclohexylene group, a cyclohexane-1,3,5-triyl group, a cyclohexane-1,3,4-triyl group, a cyclohexane-1,3,4,5-tetrayl group, a pyridine-2,5-diyl group, a pyrimidine-2,5-diyl group, a naphthalene-2,6-diyl group, a naphthalene-2,5,6-triyl group, a naphthalene-2,5,6,7-tetrayl group, a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene-2,5,6-triyl group, a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene-2,5,6,7-tetrayl group, or a 1,3-dioxane-2,5-diyl group, M11 and M14 may each be independently unsubstituted or substituted with an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a halogenated alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a halogenated alkoxy group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a halogen, a cyano group, or a nitro group,
• L11 and L12 each independently represent the same group as that represented by L13,
• M12 and M13 each independently represent a 1,4-phenylene group, a 1,4-cyclohexylene group, a pyridine-2,5-diyl group, a pyrimidine-2,5-diyl group, a naphthalene-2,6-diyl group, an indane-2,5-diyl group, a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, or a 1,3-dioxane-2,5-diyl group, M12 and M13 may each be independently unsubstituted or substituted with an alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a halogenated alkyl group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a halogenated alkoxy group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, a halogen, a cyano group, or a nitro group,
• m11 and m12 each independently represent 1, 2, or 3, and when m11 and/or m12 represents 2 or 3, Z11s and/or Z12s, the number of which is 2 or 3, may be the same or different, and
• n11 and n12 each independently represent 0, 1, or 2, but n11+n12 is 2 or less, and when n11 or n12 represents 2, M12s or M13s, the number of which is 2, may be the same or different and L11s or L12s, the number of which is 2, may be the same or different;
• as a second component, at least one compound represented by general formula (II):
• R21-M21-L21-M22-(L22-M23)o-R22 (II)
• wherein R21 and R22 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, one methylene group or two or more non-adjacent methylene groups in the alkyl group or the alkenyl group may each be substituted with —O— or —S—, and one or more hydrogen atoms in the alkyl group or the alkenyl group may each be substituted with a fluorine atom or a chlorine atom,
• M21, M22, and M23 each independently represent a group selected from the groups consisting of
• (a) a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group where one methylene group or two or more non-adjacent methylene groups in the trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group may each be substituted with —O— or —S—,
• (b) a 1,4-phenylene group (where one —CH═ or two or more non-adjacent —CH═ in the 1,4-phenylene group may each be substituted with a nitrogen atom), a 2-fluoro-1,4-phenylene group, a 3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene group, and a 3,5-difluoro-1,4-phenylene group, and
• (c) a 1,4-cyclohexenylene group, a 1,4-bicyclo[2.2.2]octylene group, a piperidine-2,5-diyl group, a naphthalene-2,6-diyl group, a decahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, and a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group,
• o represents 0, 1, or 2,
• L21 and L22 each independently represent a single bond, —CH2CH2—, —(CH2)4—, —OCH2—, —CH2O—, —OCF2—, —CF2O—, —CH═CH—, —CH═N—N═CH—, or —C≡C—, when a plurality of L22s are present, L22s may be the same or different, and when a plurality of M23s are present, M23s may be the same or different;
• and
• as a third component, at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by general formulae (IIIa), (IIIb), and (IIIc):
• wherein R31, R32, and R33 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, one methylene group or two or more non-adjacent methylene groups in the alkyl group or the alkenyl group may each be substituted with —O— or —S—, and one or more hydrogen atoms in the alkyl group or the alkenyl group may each be substituted with a fluorine atom or a chlorine atom,
• M31, M32, M33, M34, M35, M36, M37, and M38;
• each independently represent a group selected from the groups consisting of
• (d) a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group (where one methylene group or two or more non-adjacent methylene groups in the trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group may each be substituted with —O— or —S—,
• (e) a 1,4-phenylene group (where one —CH═ or two or more non-adjacent —CH═ in the 1,4-phenylene group may each be substituted with —N═), a 3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene group, and a 3,5-difluoro-1,4-phenylene group, and
• (f) a 1,4-cyclohexenylene group, a 1,4-bicyclo[2.2.2]octylene group, a piperidine-2,5-diyl group, a naphthalene-2,6-diyl group, a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, and a decahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, a hydrogen atom contained in any of the groups (d), (e), and (f) may be substituted with a cyano group, a fluorine atom, a trifluoromethyl group, a trifluoromethoxy group, or a chlorine atom,
• L31, L32, L33, L34, L35, L36, L37, and L38 each independently represent a single bond, —COO—, —OCO—, —CH2CH2—, —(CH2)4—, —OCH2—, —CH2O—, —OCF2—, —CF2O—, or —C≡C—, when a plurality of M32s, M34s, M35s, M37s, M38s, L31s, L33s, L35s, L36s, and/or L38s are present, they may be the same or different,
• X31, X32, X33, X34, X35, X36, and X37 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a fluorine atom,
• Y31, Y32, and Y33 each independently represent a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a cyano group, a thiocyanate group, a trifluoromethoxy group, a trifluoromethyl group, a 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl group, or a difluoromethoxy group, and
• p, q, r, s, and t each independently represent 0, 1, or 2, but q+r and s+t are each 2 or less,
• or at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by general formulae (IVa), (IVb), and (IVc):
• wherein R41, R42, R43, R44, R45, and R46 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, one methylene group or two or more non-adjacent methylene groups in the alkyl group or the alkenyl group may each be substituted with —O— or —S—, and one or more hydrogen atoms in the alkyl group or the alkenyl group may each be substituted with a fluorine atom or a chlorine atom,
• M41, M42, M43, M44, M45, M46, M47, M48, and M49 each independently represent a group selected from the groups consisting of
• (g) a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group where one methylene group or two or more non-adjacent methylene groups in the trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group may each be substituted with —O— or —S—,
• (h) a 1,4-phenylene group where one —CH═ or two or more non-adjacent —CH═ in the 1,4-phenylene group may each be substituted with a nitrogen atom, and
• (i) a 1,4-cyclohexenylene group, a 1,4-bicyclo[2.2.2]octylene group, a piperidine-2,5-diyl group, a naphthalene-2,6-diyl group, a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, and a decahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, a hydrogen atom contained in any of the groups (g), (h), and (i) may be substituted with a cyano group, a fluorine atom, a trifluoromethyl group, a trifluoromethoxy group, or a chlorine atom,
• L41, L42, L43, L44, L45, L46, L47, L48, and L49 each independently represent a single bond, —COO—, —OCO—, —CH2CH2—, —(CH2)4—, —OCH2—, —CH2O—, —OCF2—, —CF2O—, or —C≡C—, when a plurality of M42s, M43s, M45s, M46s, M48s, M49s, L41s, L43s, L44s, L46s, L47s and/or L49s are present, they may be the same or different,
• X41, X42, X43, X44, X45, X46, X47 and X48 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a trifluoromethyl group, a trifluoromethoxy group, or a fluorine atom, however, at least one of X41 and X42 represents a fluorine atom, at least one of X43, X44, and X45 represents a fluorine atom, at least one of X46, X47, and X48 represents a fluorine atom, X46 and X47 do not represent fluorine atoms at the same time, and X46 and X48 do not represent fluorine atoms at the same time,
• G represents a methylene group or —O—, and
• u, v, w, x, y, and z each independently represent 0, 1, or 2, but u+v, w+x, and y+z are each 2 or less.