The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government

Merck Patent Gmbh

Bch Chemicals Limited

Martin G Pellatt

George W Gray

David Lacey

John A Jenner

Eric George Hope

Julian F S Vaughan

James Sherrington

Bennett Sturgeon

The present invention relates to a new catalyst system for fluorous biphasic catalysis processes which comprises functionalized polymeric beads, monodisperse SiO or SiO flakes associated with the catalyst. These functionalized particles are used as a support for catalysts in fluorous biphasic catalysis (FBC).

Supported fluorous biphasic catalyst system

A liquid crystal ester has a structure: ##STR1## where X and Y are fluorine or hydrogen at least one being hydrogen, and Z is either:

Liquid crystals esters

An intermediate useful in the production of liquid crystal esters has a molecular structure ##STR1## in which of the groups R' and R' one is fluorine and the other is hydrogen, and in which R is an alkyl group having more than one carbon atom, an aryl substituted alkyl group or a cyclohexyl substituted alkyl group. These compounds may be prepared from the corresponding alkoxy compounds ##STR2## where R'' is a protective alkyl group such as methyl. These compounds may be used in the production of liquid crystal esters by a conventional esterification with carboxylic acids, or acid derivative, eg chloride, eg containing the radical ##STR3## where X is an alkyl group and ##STR4## is a benzene or cyclohexane ring.

Intermediates useful in the production of liquid crystal compounds

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Wimborne, United Kingdom

Martin G Pellatt