Patent ID: 8465671

Claim:
A dichroic dye of the structure of (reactive end functional group)-L1-M-L2-D, wherein D is a dichroic structure, M is a liquid crystal structure, and L1 and L2 are linking structures which link the reactive end functional group, M, and D, wherein the dichroic structure D is an azo dye having following formula: wherein R1-R4 and R7-R12 are substituents selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C1-C20 straight or branched chain alkyl groups, halogen groups, C1-C20 alkoxy groups, C1-C20 aliphatic groups, C1-C20 aliphatic amino groups, C1-C20 aliphatic imino groups, C1-C20 aliphatic alkyl imino groups, C6-C20 aryl groups, C5-C20 hetero ring groups, cyano groups, carboxyl groups, carbamoyl groups, C1-C20 aliphatic oxy carbonyl groups, C6-C20 aryl oxy carbonyl groups, C1-C20 acyl groups, hydroxyl groups, C1-C20 aliphatic oxy groups, C6-C20 aryloxy groups, C1-C20 acyloxy groups, carbamoyloxy groups, C5-C20 hetero ring oxy groups, C1-C20 aliphatic oxy carbonyloxy groups, C1-C20 alkylacylamino groups, carbamoylamino groups, sulfamoylamino groups, C1-C20 aliphatic oxy carbonylamino groups, C6-C20 aryloxycarbonylamino groups, C1-C20 aliphatic sulfonylamino groups, C6-C20 arylsulfonylamino groups, C1-C20 aliphatic thio groups, C6-C20 arylthio groups, C1-C20 aliphatic sulfonyl groups, C6-C20 arylsulfonyl groups, sulfamoyl groups, sulfo groups, and imide groups; and R5 and R6 are coupled to form a phenyl group.