Polymerizable compounds, compositions, polymers, optically anisotropic articles, liquid crystal display devices and organic EL devices

1. A polymerizable compound represented by the general formula selected from the group consisting of (1-1), (1-2) and (1-3):

wherein in the formulae (1-1), (1-2) and (1-3), P is a polymerizable functional group, Sp is a spacer group or a single bond,

A 1 , A 2 , A 3 and A 4 each independently represent a divalent alicyclic hydrocarbon group or aromatic hydrocarbon group,

X 1 , X 2 , X 3 and X 4 each independently represent a divalent bonding group or a single bond,

R 1 is an alkyl or alkoxy group having 1 to 12 carbon atoms, or “*-Sp-P” in which * indicates A 4 or A 3 ,

m and n are each independently an integer of 0 to 4 wherein m+n is an integer of 2 or greater,

T 1 and T 2 each independently represent —S—, —O—, —NR 2 —, —CH 2 —, —NH—, —C(═O)—, —S(═O)— or —C(═S)—,

R 2 is a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a cyano group, a nitro group or a hydroxyl group,

R 3 and R 4 each independently represent a monovalent substituent or form a ring through Y which connects R 3 and R 4 together wherein when such a ring is formed, R 3 and R 4 each independently represent a group selected from the group consisting of —O—, —S—, —SO—, —SO 2 —, —NR— wherein R is a hydrogen atom or a monovalent substituent, ═N—, ═N(+)R— wherein R of ═N(+)R— is a hydrogen atom or a monovalent substituent, —C(═O)—, —C(═S)— and ═CR— wherein R of ═CR— is a hydrogen atom or a monovalent substituent, and

Y represents 2 to 4 atoms selected from the group consisting of carbon atoms and Group XIV to Group XVI nonmetallic atoms, and in combination with R 3 —C—R 4 in the formula forms a 5- to 7-membered ring which may be substituted with a monovalent substituent in place of any hydrogen atom bonded to the 5- to 7-membered ring, except when T 1 and R 3 , and T 2 and R 4 are each the same as each other and when T 1 and R 4 , and T 2 and R 3 are each the same as each other.

2. The polymerizable compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 3 and R 4 are each independently a monovalent substituent and at least one of R 3 and R 4 is a cyano group.

3. The polymerizable compound according to claim 1 , wherein R 3 and R 4 are each independently a monovalent substituent and R 3 or R 4 is an alkyl carboxylate having an alkyl group with 1 to 3 carbon atoms.

4. The polymerizable compound according to claim 1 , wherein the ring formed by R 3 —C—R 4 and Y is any selected from the group consisting of rings represented by the following general formulae (Y-1) to (Y-24):

in the formulae, R is a hydrogen atom or a monovalent substituent, j is an integer of 0 to 4, and the bonds ═C intersected with a wiggly line are to the 5-membered ring including T 1 and T 2 in the general formula (1-0).

5. The polymerizable compound according to claim 1 , wherein X 1 , X 2 , X 3 and X 4 each independently represent a single bond, —CH 2 CH 2 —, —CH═CH—, —CH═CHCOO—, —OCO—CH═CH—, —(CH 2 ) u O—COO—, —(CH 2 ) u —OCO—, —(CH 2 ) u —COO—, —(CH 2 ) u —O—, —O—COO—(CH 2 ) u —, —OCO—(CH 2 ) u —, —COO—(CH 2 ) u — or —O—(CH 2 ) u — wherein u is an integer of 0 to 2.

6. A composition comprising the polymerizable compound described in claim 1 .

7. A polymer obtained by polymerizing the composition described in claim 6 .

8. An optically anisotropic article comprising the polymer described in claim 7 .

9. A liquid crystal display device comprising the optically anisotropic article described in claim 8 .

10. An organic EL device comprising the optically anisotropic article described in claim 8 .