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

1. A liquid crystal composition, comprising:

100 parts by mass of a nematic liquid crystal composition having negative dielectric anisotropy (Δ∈), and

0.01 to 3 parts by mass of a polymerizable compound represented by general formula (I):

wherein,

ring C 1 , ring C 2 , and ring C 3 each independently represent a benzene ring, a cyclohexane ring, or a naphthalene ring, one or more hydrogen atoms of each of which are optionally substituted with an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, an acyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom;

M 1 an M 2 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a methyl group;

Z 1 represents a direct bond, -L 1 -, -L 1 O—, -L 1 O—CO—, or -L 1 CO—O—, and Z 4 represents a direct bond, -L 2 -, —OL 2 -, —O—COL 2 -, or —CO—OL 2 -, provided that at least one of Z 1 and Z 4 is not a direct bond;

L 1 and L 2 each independently represent an optionally branched alkylene group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, the alkylene group being optionally interrupted by one to three oxygen atoms, provided that the two or three interrupting oxygen atoms are not continuous and that the interrupting oxygen atom is not continuous to an oxygen atom adjacent to the alkylene group; when Z 1 and Z 4 are the same, one or more hydrogen atoms of the rings C 1 , C 2 , and C 3 are substituted by an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, an acyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom;

Z 2 and Z 3 each independently represent a direct bond, an ester bond, an ether bond, or an optionally branched, saturated or unsaturated alkylene group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms, or a combination thereof;

Z 1 and Z 4 are different, or L 1 and L 2 are different; and

p and q each independently represent 0 or 1, provided that p+q≧1.

2. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein either Z 1 or Z 4 is a direct bond.

3. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein p and q are both 1.

4. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein one or more hydrogen atoms of the rings C 1 , C 2 , and C 3 are substituted by an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, an acyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom.

5. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein Z 2 and Z 3 are each an ester bond.

6. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of L 1 and L 2 is an alkylene group having 2 to 8 carbon atoms.

7. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of M 1 and M 2 is a methyl group.

8. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein M 1 and M 2 are both a methyl group.

9. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , having the polymerizable compound represented by general formula (I) in an amount of 0.05 to 2 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the nematic liquid crystal composition having negative dielectric anisotropy (Δ∈).

10. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 , wherein the nematic liquid crystal composition having negative dielectric anisotropy (Δ∈) comprises 30% to 100% by mass of a liquid crystal compound represented by general formula (II):

wherein,

ring B 1 , ring B 2 , ring B 3 , and ring B 4 each independently represent a benzene ring, a cyclohexane ring, a cyclohexene ring, a naphthalene ring, a decahydronaphthalene ring, a tetrahydronaphthalene ring, or an indane ring, one or more hydrogen atoms of which rings are optionally substituted by an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, a chlorine atom, or a fluorine atom, a —CH═ moiety of which rings is optionally substituted by —N═, and a —CH 2 — moiety of which rings is optionally substituted by —S—, —N═, or —O—; two or more hydrogen atoms of at least one of ring B 3 and ring B 4 are substituted by substitutes which may be the same or different and are selected from chlorine, fluorine, —CF 3 —, —OCF 3 , and —OCF 2 H;

Y 1 , Y 2 , and Y 3 each independently represent a direct bond, —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —CF 2 —CF 2 —, —CH═CH—, —CF═CF—, —CH 2 —O—, —O—CH 2—, —CF 2 —O—, —O—CF 2 —, —CH 2 —S—, —S—CH 2 —, —CF 2 —S—, —S—CF 2 —, —O—CF 2 —C 2 H 4 —, —C 2 H 4 —CF 2 —O—, —CO—O—, —O—CO—, —CH 2 —CH 2 —CO—O—, —O—CO—CH 2 —CH 2 —, or —C≡C—;

R 3 and R 4 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms;

j, k, and m each independently represent 0 or 1, provided that j+k+m≧1; and

n represents 0 or 1.

11. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 10 , wherein the liquid crystal compound represented by general formula (II) is represented by general formula (III):

wherein,

ring B 1 , ring B 2 , Y 1 , Y 2 , Y 3 , R 3 , R 4 , j, k, m, and n are as defined for general formula (II); and

E 1 , E 2 , E 3 , and E 4 each represent hydrogen, chlorine, fluorine, —CF 3 , —OCF 3 , or —OCF 2 H, provided that at least one of the E 1 /E 2 combination and the E 3 /E 4 combination consists of other than hydrogen.

12. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 11 , wherein E 1 , E 2 , E 3 , and E 4 are each hydrogen or fluorine.

13. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 11 , wherein E 3 and E 4 are each fluorine, Y 2 is a direct bond, k is 1, and m is 0.

14. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 10 , wherein the nematic liquid crystal composition having negative dielectric anisotropy (Δ∈) further comprises 5% to 50% by mass of a liquid crystal compound represented by general formula (IV):

wherein,

ring A 1 , ring A 2 , and ring A 3 each independently represent a benzene ring, a cyclohexane ring, a cyclohexene ring, a naphthalene ring, a decahydronaphthalene ring, or a tetrahydronaphthalene ring, one or more hydrogen atoms of which rings are optionally substituted by an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, a —CH═ moiety of which rings is optionally substituted by —N═, and a —CH 2 — moiety of which rings is optionally substituted by —S—, —N═, or —O—;

X 1 , and X 2 each independently represent a direct bond, —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —CF 2 —CF 2 —, —CH═CH—, —CF═CF—, —CH 2 —O—, —O—CH 2 —, —CF 2 —O—, —O—CF 2 —, or —C≡C—;

R 1 and R 2 each independently represent an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms; and

g and h each independently represent 0 or 1.

15. An electrooptical display device, fabricated by

sandwiching the liquid crystal composition according to claim 1 between two substrates, at least one of which has an electrode to apply a voltage to liquid crystal molecules, and

irradiating the liquid crystal composition with an energy ray to cause the polymerizable compound represented by general formula (I) present in the liquid crystal composition to polymerize.

16. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 2 , wherein p and q are both 1.

17. The liquid crystal composition according to claim 2 , wherein one or more hydrogen atoms of the rings C 1 , C 2 , and C 3 are substituted by an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, an acyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms, or a halogen atom.