Liquid crystals having pleochroic dyes

Anthraquinone dyes of the general formula: (A) wherein R1, R3, R4 and R6 are selected from the group consisting of H, OH, OCH3, NO2, NH2 and NHCH3; R2 and R5 are selected from the group consisting of: alkyl-, aryl-, alkaryl-, alkoxyaryl-, aminoaryl-, (a) alkylaminoaryl-, dialkylamino-, arylaminoaryl- or (b) (c) (d) wherein R7 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl-, aryl-, amino-, alkylamino-, dialkylamino-, arylamino-, alkyloxy-, and aryloxy radicals, along with their syntheses routes are disclosed. The dyes are particularly useful in liquid crystal displays which function with a "guest host" effect or in other electrooptical display devices having a medium therein switchable between different ordering states.