IP Library Granted Patent US 8,617,420
Granted Patent B2
US 8,617,420 · App. 12/199,691 · Granted Dec 31, 2013

Liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal element

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,617,420
App. No.
12/199,691
Granted
Dec 31, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention provides an optically isotropic liquid crystal composition having: a liquid crystal component comprising a liquid crystal component A consisting of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of compounds having difluoroalkenyl and compounds having alkenyl; and chiral dopants, wherein in the liquid crystal component, the content of compounds having 3 or more ring structures is approximately 15 wt % or more.

Claims (100)

1. 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 having 3 to 5 ring structures is approximately 15 wt % or more,

and wherein in formulae (1-1) and (1-2):

R 1 is alkenyl having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — 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 A 1 , Ring A 2 , Ring A 3 and Ring A 4 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 —CH 2 — in the rings can be replaced by —O— or —S—; and any —CH═ in the rings can be replaced by —N═;

Z 0 is a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — 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;

Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 3 and Z 4 are each independently a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — 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;

L 1 and L 2 are each independently hydrogen or halogen;

X 1 is halogen, —C≡N, —N═C═S, —C≡C—C≡N, —SF 5 , —CHF 2 , —CF 3 , —CF 2 CH 2 F, —CF 2 CHF 2 , —CF 2 CF 3 , —(CF 2 ) 3 —F, —CF 2 CHFCF 3 , —CHFCF 2 CF 3 , —(CF 2 ) 4 —F, —(CF 2 ) 5 —F, —OCHF 2 , —OCF 3 , —OCF 2 CH 2 F, —OCF 2 CHF 2 , —OCH 2 CF 3 , —OCF 2 CF 3 , —O—(CF 2 ) 3 —F, —OCF 2 CHFCF 3 , —OCHFCF 2 CF 3 , —O—(CF 2 ) 4 —F, —O—(CF 2 ) 5 —F, —CH═CF 2 , —CH═CHCF 3 or —CH═CHCF 2 CF 3 ; and

l, m, n and o are each independently 0 or 1; and

l+m+n+o≧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:

R 4 and R 5 are each independently alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or alkenyl having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — in the alkyl and the alkenyl can be replaced by —O—;

Ring D 1 , Ring D 2 and Ring D 3 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;

Z 9 and Z 10 are each independently —C≡C—, —COO—, —(CH 2 ) 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.

2. 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):

R 1 is alkenyl having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — 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 A 1 , Ring A 2 , Ring A 3 and Ring A 4 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 —CH 2 — in the rings can be replaced by —O— or —S—; and any —CH═ in the rings can be replaced by —N═;

Z 0 is a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — 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;

Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 3 and Z 4 are each independently a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — 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;

L 1 and L 2 are each independently hydrogen or halogen;

X 1 is halogen, —C≡N, —N═C═S, —C≡C—C≡N, —SF 5 , —CHF 2 , —CF 3 , —CF 2 CH 2 F, —CF 2 CHF 2 , —CF 2 CF 3 , —(CF 2 ) 3 —F, —CF 2 CHFCF 3 , —CHFCF 2 CF 3 , —(CF 2 ) 4 —F, —(CF 2 ) 5 —F, —OCHF 2 , —OCF 3 , —OCF 2 CH 2 F, —OCF 2 CHF 2 , —OCH 2 CF 3 , —OCF 2 CF 3 , —O—(CF 2 ) 3 —F, —OCF 2 CHFCF 3 , —OCHFCF 2 CF 3 , —O—(CF 2 ) 4 —F, —O—(CF 2 ) 5 —F, —CH═CF 2 , —CH═CHCF 3 or —CH═CHCF 2 CF 3 ;

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:

R 4 and R 5 are each independently alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or alkenyl having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — in the alkyl and the alkenyl can be replaced by —O—;

Ring D 1 , Ring D 2 and Ring D 3 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;

Z 9 and Z 10 are each independently —C≡C—, —COO—, —(CH 2 ) 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.

3. 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):

R 1 is alkenyl having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — 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 A 1 , Ring A 2 , Ring A 3 and Ring A 4 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 —CH 2 — in the rings can be replaced by —O— or —S—; and any —CH═ in the rings can be replaced by —N═;

Z 0 is a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — 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;

Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 3 and Z 4 are each independently a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — 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;

L 1 and L 2 are each independently hydrogen or halogen;

X 1 is halogen, —C≡N, —N═C═S, —C≡C—C≡N, —SF 5 , —CHF 2 , —CF 3 , —CF 2 CH 2 F, —CF 2 CHF 2 , —CF 2 CF 3 , —(CF 2 ) 3 —F, —CF 2 CHFCF 3 , —CHFCF 2 CF 3 , —(CF 2 ) 4 —F, —(CF 2 ) 5 —F, —OCHF 2 , —OCF 3 , —OCF 2 CH 2 F, —OCF 2 CHF 2 , —OCH 2 CF 3 , —OCF 2 CF 3 , —O—(CF 2 ) 3 —F, —OCF 2 CHFCF 3 , —OCHFCF 2 CF 3 , —O—(CF 2 ) 4 —F, —O—(CF 2 ) 5 —F, —CH═CF 2 , —CH═CHCF 3 or —CH═CHCF 2 CF 3 ; 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:

R 4 and R 5 are each independently alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or alkenyl having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — in the alkyl and the alkenyl can be replaced by —O—;

Ring D 1 , Ring D 2 and Ring D 3 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;

Z 9 and Z 10 are each independently —C≡C—, —COO—, —(CH 2 ) 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.

4. 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):

R 1 is alkenyl having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — 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 A 1 , Ring A 2 , Ring A 3 and Ring A 4 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 —CH 2 — in the rings can be replaced by —O— or —S—; and any —CH═ in the rings can be replaced by —N═;

Z 0 is a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — 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;

Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 3 and Z 4 are each independently a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — 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;

L 1 and L 2 are each independently hydrogen or halogen;

X 1 is halogen, —C≡N, —N═C═S, —C≡C—C≡N, —SF 5 , —CHF 2 , —CF 3 , —CF 2 CH 2 F, —CF 2 CHF 2 , —CF 2 CF 3 , —(CF 2 ) 3 —F, —CF 2 CHFCF 3 , —CHFCF 2 CF 3 , —(CF 2 ) 4 —F, —(CF 2 ) 5 —F, —OCHF 2 , —OCF 3 , —OCF 2 CH 2 F, —OCF 2 CHF 2 , —OCH 2 CF 3 , —OCF 2 CF 3 , —O—(CF 2 ) 3 —F, —OCF 2 CHFCF 3 , —OCHFCF 2 CF 3 , —O—(CF 2 ) 4 —F, —O—(CF 2 ) 5 —F, —CH═CF 2 , —CH═CHCF 3 or —CH═CHCF 2 CF 3 ; and

l, m, n and o are each independently 0 or 1,

and wherein in general formula (1-3):

R 2 is hydrogen or alkyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — 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 A 1 , Ring A 2 , Ring A 3 and Ring A 4 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 —CH 2 — in the rings can be replaced by —O— or —S—; and any —CH═ in the rings can be replaced by —N═;

Z 1 , Z 2 , Z 3 and Z 4 are each independently a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — 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;

L 1 and L 2 are each independently hydrogen or halogen;

X 1 is halogen, —C≡N, —N═C═S, —C≡C—C≡N, —SF 5 , —CHF 2 , —CF 3 , —CF 2 CH 2 F, —CF 2 CHF 2 , —CF 2 CF 3 , —(CF 2 ) 3 —F, —CF 2 CHFCF 3 , —CHFCF 2 CF 3 , —(CF 2 ) 4 —F, —(CF 2 ) 5 —F, —OCHF 2 , —OCF 3 , —OCF 2 CH 2 F, —OCF 2 CHF 2 , —OCH 2 CF 3 , —OCF 2 CF 3 , —O—(CF 2 ) 3 —F, —OCF 2 CHFCF 3 , —OCHFCF 2 CF 3 , —O—(CF 2 ) 4 —F, —O—(CF 2 ) 5 —F, —CH═CF 2 , —CH═CHCF 3 or —CH═CHCF 2 CF 3 ; 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:

R 4 and R 5 are each independently alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or alkenyl having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — in the alkyl and the alkenyl can be replaced by —O—;

Ring D 1 , Ring D 2 and Ring D 3 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;

Z 9 and Z 10 are each independently —C≡C—, —COO—, —(CH 2 ) 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.

5. The optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein in the liquid crystal component A, the content of the compounds represented by general formula (1-1) is approximately 5 to approximately 85 wt %.

6. The optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein in the liquid crystal component, the content of the liquid crystal component A is approximately 40 to approximately 85 wt %.

7. The optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein in the liquid crystal component, the content of the liquid crystal component A is approximately 70 to approximately 85 wt %.

8. The optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein in the optically isotropic liquid crystal composition, the content of the liquid crystal component A is approximately 70 to approximately 84 wt %.

9. The optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 in general formula (1-2) is represented by any one of the formulae selected from the group consisting of the following formulae (CHN-1) to (CHN-12),

and wherein in formulae (CHN-1) to (CHN-12), each R 1a is independently hydrogen or alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms.

10. The optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein in the liquid crystal component, the difference between the upper limit and the lower limit of a temperature allowing coexistence of a nematic phase and a non-liquid crystalline isotropic phase is approximately 3° C. to approximately 150° C.

11. The optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , comprising the chiral dopants in an amount of 1 to approximately 40 wt % of the total weight of the liquid crystal composition.

12. The optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , comprising the chiral dopants in an amount of approximately 5 to approximately 15 wt % of the total weight of the liquid crystal composition.

13. The optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein the chiral dopants comprise one or more compounds represented by any one of the following formulae (K1) to (K5),

and wherein in formulae (K1) to (K5):

each R K is independently hydrogen, halogen, —C≡N, —N═C═O, —N═C═S or alkyl having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — in the alkyl can be replaced by —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CH═CH—, —CF═CF— or —C≡C—; and any hydrogen in the alkyl can be replaced by halogen;

each A is independently an aromatic or nonaromatic 3- to 8-membered ring or a condensed ring having 9 or more carbon atoms, wherein any hydrogen in these rings can be replaced by halogen, alkyl having 1 to 3 carbon atoms or haloalkyl; —CH 2 — in the rings can be replaced by —O—, —S— or —NH—; and CH═ in the rings can be replaced by —N═;

each Z is independently a single bond or alkylene having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, wherein any —CH 2 — in the alkylene can be replaced by —O—, —S—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CSO—, —OCS—, —N═N—, —CH═N—, —N═CH—, —N(O)═N—, —N═N(O)—, —CH═CH—, —CF═CF— or —C≡C—; and any hydrogen in the alkylene can be replaced by halogen;

each X is independently a single bond, —COO—, —CH 2 O—, —CF 2 O—, —OCO—, —OCH 2 —, —OCF 2 — or —CH 2 CH 2 —; and

each mK is independently an integer from 1 to 4.

14. The optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein the chiral dopants comprise one or more compounds represented by any one of the following formulae (K2-1) to (K2-8) and (K5-1) to (K5-3),

and wherein in formulae (K2-1) to (K2-8) and (K5-1) to (K5-3):

each R K is independently alkyl having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein —CH 2 — adjacent to the ring in the alkyl can be replaced by —O—; and any —CH 2 — in the alkyl can be replaced by —CH═CH—.

15. The optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more agents selected from the group consisting of antioxidants and ultraviolet absorbers.

16. The optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase does not show diffracted light with two or more colors.

17. The optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase shows diffracted light with two or more colors.

18. The optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , which exhibits a chiral nematic phase at approximately −20° C. to approximately 70° C., and wherein in at least a part of the temperature range, the spiral pitch is approximately 700 nm or less.

19. A mixture comprising the optically isotropic liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 and a polymerizable monomer.

20. The mixture according to claim 19 , wherein the polymerizable monomer is a photopolymerizable monomer or a thermopolymerizable monomer.

21. A polymer/liquid crystal composite for use in an element driven in a state of an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase, which can be obtained by polymerizing the mixture according to claim 19 .

22. A polymer/liquid crystal composite for use in an element driven in a state of an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase, which can be obtained by polymerizing the mixture according to claim 19 in a state of a non-liquid crystalline isotropic phase or the optically isotropic liquid crystal phase.

23. The polymer/liquid crystal composite according to claim 21 , wherein a polymer included in the polymer/liquid crystal composite has a mesogenic moiety.

24. The polymer/liquid crystal composite according to claim 21 , wherein the polymer included in the polymer/liquid crystal composite has a cross-linked structure.

25. The polymer/liquid crystal composite according to claim 21 , comprising the liquid crystal composition in an amount of approximately 60 to approximately 99 wt % and the polymer in an amount of 1 to 40 wt %.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Nov 5, 2012
From: CHISSO PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION
To: JNC PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 029244/0996 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2011
From: CHISSO CORPORATION
To: JNC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 026207/0653 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 27, 2008
From: YAMAMOTO, SHIN-ICHI; HASEBA, YASUHIRO
To: CHISSO CORPORATION; CHISSO PETROCHEMICAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 021452/0476 →