Liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal element

An optically isotropic liquid crystal composition having a liquid crystal component comprising a liquid crystal component A consisting of one or more compounds represented by general formula (1-1) or (1-2) and chiral dopants, wherein in the liquid crystal component, the content of the liquid crystal component A is approximately 15 wt % or more in the liquid crystal component,

• and wherein in formulae (1-1) and (1-2):
• R1 is alkenyl having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH2— in the alkenyl can be replaced by —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CH═CH— or —C≡C—;
• and any hydrogen in the alkenyl can be replaced by halogen;
• Ring A1, Ring A2, Ring A3 and Ring A4 are each independently a benzene ring, a naphthalene ring, a cyclohexene ring, a bicyclooctane ring or a cyclohexane ring, wherein any hydrogen in these rings can be replaced by halogen;
• any —CH2— in the rings can be replaced by —O— or —S—;
• and any —CH═ in the rings can be replaced by —N═;
• Z0 is a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH2— in the alkylene can be replaced by —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CSO—, —OCS—, —CH═CH—, —CF═CF— or —C≡C—;
• and any hydrogen can be replaced by halogen;
• Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 are each independently a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH2— in the alkylene can be replaced by —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CSO—, —OCS—, —CH═CH—, —CF═CF— or —C≡C—;
• and any hydrogen can be replaced by halogen;
• L1 and L2 are each independently hydrogen or halogen;
• X1 is halogen, —C≡N, —N═C═S, —C≡C—C≡N, —SF5, —CHF2, —CF3, —CF2CH2F, —CF2CHF2, —CF2CF3, —(CF2)3—F, —CF2CHFCF3, —CHFCF2CF3, —(CF2)4—F, —(CF2)5—F, —OCHF2, —OCF3, —OCF2CH2F, —OCF2CHF2, —OCH2CF3, —OCF2CF3, —O—(CF2)3—F, —OCF2CHFCF3, —OCHFCF2CF3, —O—(CF2)4—F, —O—(CF2)5—F, —CH═CF2, —CH═CHCF3 or —CH═CHCF2CF3;
• l, m, n and o are each independently 0 or 1;
• and
• l+m+n+o≧2,
• wherein the liquid crystal component does not contain a liquid crystal component D consisting of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by general formulae (7) to (9),
• and wherein in the formulae:
• R4 and R5 are each independently alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or alkenyl having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH2— in the alkyl and the alkenyl can be replaced by —O—;
• Ring D1, Ring D2 and Ring D3 are each independently 1,4-cyclohexylene, pyrimidine-2,5-diyl, 1,4-phenylene, 2-fluoro-1,4-phenylene, 3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene or 2,5-difluoro-1,4-phenylene;
• Z9 and Z10 are each independently —C≡C—, —COO—, —(CH2)2—, —CH═CH— or a single bond;
• and
• wherein the liquid crystal component has a value of Δn×Δε≧3.39, when there is no chiral dopant.

An optically isotropic liquid crystal composition having a liquid crystal component comprising a liquid crystal component A consisting of one or more compounds represented by general formula (1-1) or (1-2) and chiral dopants, wherein in the liquid crystal component, the content of compounds represented by l+m+n+o≧2 in formula (1-1) or (1-2) is approximately 15 wt % or more, and the content of compounds represented by l+m+n+o=1 is approximately 0.1 to approximately 85 wt %,

• and wherein in formulae (1-1) and (1-2):
• R1 is alkenyl having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH2— in the alkenyl can be replaced by —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CH═CH— or —C≡C—;
• and any hydrogen in the alkenyl can be replaced by halogen;
• Ring A1, Ring A2, Ring A3 and Ring A4 are each independently a benzene ring, a naphthalene ring, a cyclohexene ring, a bicyclooctane ring or a cyclohexane ring, wherein any hydrogen in these rings can be replaced by halogen;
• any —CH2— in the rings can be replaced by —O— or —S—;
• and any —CH═ in the rings can be replaced by —N═;
• Z0 is a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH2— in the alkylene can be replaced by —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CSO—, —OCS—, —CH═CH—, —CF═CF— or —C≡C—;
• and any hydrogen can be replaced by halogen;
• Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 are each independently a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH2— in the alkylene can be replaced by —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CSO—, —OCS—, —CH═CH—, —CF═CF— or —C≡C—;
• and any hydrogen can be replaced by halogen;
• L1 and L2 are each independently hydrogen or halogen;
• X1 is halogen, —C≡N, —N═C═S, —C≡C—C≡N, —SF5, —CHF2, —CF3, —CF2CH2F, —CF2CHF2, —CF2CF3, —(CF2)3—F, —CF2CHFCF3, —CHFCF2CF3, —(CF2)4—F, —(CF2)5—F, —OCHF2, —OCF3, —OCF2CH2F, —OCF2CHF2, —OCH2CF3, —OCF2CF3, —O—(CF2)3—F, —OCF2CHFCF3, —OCHFCF2CF3, —O—(CF2)4—F, —O—(CF2)5—F, —CH═CF2, —CH═CHCF3 or —CH═CHCF2CF3;
• and
• l, m, n and o are each independently 0 or 1,
• wherein the liquid crystal component does not contain a liquid crystal component D consisting of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by general formulae (7) to (9),
• and wherein in the formulae:
• R4 and R5 are each independently alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or alkenyl having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH2— in the alkyl and the alkenyl can be replaced by —O—;
• Ring D1, Ring D2 and Ring D3 are each independently 1,4-cyclohexylene, pyrimidine-2,5-diyl, 1,4-phenylene, 2-fluoro-1,4-phenylene, 3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene or 2,5-difluoro-1,4-phenylene;
• Z9 and Z10 are each independently —C≡C—, —COO—, —(CH2)2—, —CH═CH— or a single bond;
• and
• wherein the liquid crystal component has a value of Δn×Δε≧3.39, when there is no chiral dopant.

An optically isotropic liquid crystal composition having a liquid crystal component comprising a liquid crystal component A consisting of one or more compounds represented by general formula (1-1) or (1-2) and a liquid crystal component B consisting of one or more compounds represented by general formula (1-3) and chiral dopants, wherein in the liquid crystal component, the content of the liquid crystal component B is approximately 15 to approximately 99.5 wt % or more,

• and wherein in formulae (1-1) and (1-2):
• R1 is alkenyl having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH2— in the alkenyl can be replaced by —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CH═CH— or —C≡C—;
• and any hydrogen in the alkenyl can be replaced by halogen;
• Ring A1, Ring A2, Ring A3 and Ring A4 are each independently a benzene ring, a naphthalene ring, a cyclohexene ring, a bicyclooctane ring or a cyclohexane ring, wherein any hydrogen in these rings can be replaced by halogen;
• any —CH2— in the rings can be replaced by —O— or —S—;
• and any —CH═ in the rings can be replaced by —N═;
• Z0 is a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH2— in the alkylene can be replaced by —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CSO—, —OCS—, —CH═CH—, —CF═CF— or —C≡C—;
• and any hydrogen can be replaced by halogen;
• Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 are each independently a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH2— in the alkylene can be replaced by —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CSO—, —OCS—, —CH═CH—, —CF═CF— or —C≡C—;
• and any hydrogen can be replaced by halogen;
• L1 and L2 are each independently hydrogen or halogen;
• X1 is halogen, —C≡N, —N═C═S, —C≡C—C≡N, —SF5, —CHF2, —CF3, —CF2CH2F, —CF2CHF2, —CF2CF3, —(CF2)3—F, —CF2CHFCF3, —CHFCF2CF3, —(CF2)4—F, —(CF2)5—F, —OCHF2, —OCF3, —OCF2CH2F, —OCF2CHF2, —OCH2CF3, —OCF2CF3, —O—(CF2)3—F, —OCF2CHFCF3, —OCHFCF2CF3, —O—(CF2)4—F, —O—(CF2)5—F, —CH═CF2, —CH═CHCF3 or —CH═CHCF2CF3;
• and
• l, m, n and o are each independently 0 or 1,
• and wherein in general formula (1-3):
• R2 is hydrogen or alkyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH2— in the alkyl can be replaced by —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OCO— or —C≡C—;
• and any hydrogen in the alkyl can be replaced by halogen;
• Ring A1, Ring A2, Ring A3 and Ring A4 are each independently a benzene ring, a naphthalene ring, a cyclohexene ring, a bicyclooctane ring or a cyclohexane ring, wherein any hydrogen in these rings can be replaced by halogen;
• any —CH2— in the rings can be replaced by —O— or —S—;
• and any —CH═ in the rings can be replaced by —N═;
• Z1, Z2, Z3 and Z4 are each independently a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH2— in the alkylene can be replaced by —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CSO—, —OCS—, —CH═CH—, —CF═CF— or —C≡C—;
• and any hydrogen in the alkylene can be replaced by halogen;
• L1 and L2 are each independently hydrogen or halogen;
• X1 is halogen, —C≡N, —N═C═S, —C≡C—C≡N, —SF5, —CHF2, —CF3, —CF2CH2F, —CF2CHF2, —CF2CF3, —(CF2)3—F, —CF2CHFCF3, —CHFCF2CF3, —(CF2)4—F, —(CF2)5—F, —OCHF2, —OCF3, —OCF2CH2F, —OCF2CHF2, —OCH2CF3, —OCF2CF3, —O—(CF2)3—F, —OCF2CHFCF3, —OCHFCF2CF3, —O—(CF2)4—F, —O—(CF2)5—F, —CH═CF2, —CH═CHCF3 or —CH═CHCF2CF3;
• and
• l and m are each independently 0 or 1;
• and
• l+m≧1;
• wherein the liquid crystal component does not contain a liquid crystal component D consisting of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by general formulae (7) to (9),
• and wherein in the formulae:
• R4 and R5 are each independently alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or alkenyl having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH2— in the alkyl and the alkenyl can be replaced by —O—;
• Ring D1, Ring D2 and Ring D3 are each independently 1,4-cyclohexylene, pyrimidine-2,5-diyl, 1,4-phenylene, 2-fluoro-1,4-phenylene, 3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene or 2,5-difluoro-1,4-phenylene;
• Z9 and Z10 are each independently —C≡C—, —COO—, —(CH2)2—, —CH═CH— or a single bond;
• and
• wherein the liquid crystal component has a value of Δn×Δε≧3.39, when there is no chiral dopant.