Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited

Kiyoshi Imamura

Masayoshi Minai

Isao Kurimoto

Koichi Fujisawa

Shoji Toda

Takayuki Higashii

Takeshi Tani

Chizu Kawakami

Shigeaki Chika

Takayuki Higashi

Disclosed herein are optically active carboxylic acid or acid halide compounds of formula III: ##STR1## Wherein R.sub.2 represents an optically active alkyl or alkoxyalkyl group having 3 to 15 carbon atoms optionally substituted by halogen atoms; R' represents a hydroxyl group or a halogen atom; k is 0 or 1; and n represents an integer of 1 to 6.

Optically active ester derivatives, preparation process thereof, liquid

Disclosed are herein optically active aromatic compounds represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## wherein X represents --COO-- or --OCO--; Y represents --COO--, --OCO-- or --O--; R.sub.2 represents an alkyl or alkoxyalkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms unsubstituted or substituted by a halogen atom; R.sub.1 represents an alkyl group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms; Z represents ##STR2## wherein p represents a number of 1 to 5 and * indicates an asymmetric carbon atom; l and k each represents a number of 1 or 2; m and s each represents a number of 0 or 1, which are useful as a liquid crystal.

Optically active aromatic compounds, preparation process therefor,

Disclosed herein are optically active phenols of formula (V) which are useful as precursors for esters used in liquid crystalline crystalline mixtures: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.2 represents an optically active alkyl or alkoxyalkyl group having 3 to 15 carbon atoms optionally substituted by halogen atoms; k represents a number of 0 or 1; n represents a number of 1 to 6.

Disclosed are herein optically active ester derivatives represented by the formula (I): ##STR1## (wherein R.sub.1 represents an alkyl group having 3 to 20 carbon atoms; R.sub.2 represents an optically active alkyl or alkoxyalkyl group having 3 to 15 carbon atoms optionally substituted by halogen atoms; Y represents --O--, --COO-- or --OCO--; X represents --COO-- or --OCO--; l represents a number of 1 or 2; k and m each represents a number of 0 or 1; n represents a number of 1 to 6), preparation processes therefor, liquid crystal materials containing such ester derivatives as active ingredient, and a light switching element using said liquid crystal materials as liquid crystal element.

Growing community of inventors

Toyonaka, Japan

Kiyoshi Imamura