Ajinomoto Co., Ltd.

Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Naoko Mikami

Takao Sakurai

Ryoichi Higuchi

Koji Takeuchi

Kiriko Akaiwa

Eri Yamamoto

Tatsuru Tabohashi

Tadahiko Yokota

Tsuyoshi Uemura

Tatsuya Hattori

Masao Honma

Kazuhiro Johten

Hiroyuki Onishi

Eri Komatsu

Characteristics of a ferroelectric liquid crystal show that ionic impurities deteriorate its display quality to a great extent. The present invention provides a ferroelectric liquid crystal display device of good display quality without the deterioration of display characteristics, as a result of trapping the ionic impurities effectively by adding an organic material which traps ions and which lowers conductivity of a liquid crystal layer thereto.

Ferroelectric liquid crystal composition and ferroelectric liquid

The present invention relates to N-long chain acyl neutral amino acid esters of the general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein X represents an ester-forming residue of a sterol; COR represents a long chain acyl group having 8 to 22 carbon atoms; R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are identical or different from each other, each represents a hydrogen atom or a straight chain or branched alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 together form an alkylene group; and n represents 0, 1 or 2. The compounds are particularly useful in cosmetic or pharmaceutical preparations for external use.

N-long chain acyl neutral amino acid esters

An aligning agent for liquid crystals containing a polyamino acid having no optical activity.

Aligning agent for liquid crystals comprising poly alpha-amino acid

Polyphenyl-based liquid crystal compounds represented by the following general formula (1) and liquid crystal composition containing the same: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents a straight or branched C.sub.1-18 alkyl group, haloalkyl group, aralkyl group or haloaralkyl group with or without optically active carbon, R.sup.2 represents a straight or branched C.sub.1-6 alkyl group, haloalkyl group or aralkyl group with or without optically active carbon, W represents (1) --OCO-- or --COO--, in which case T represents a halogen atom or a methyl group, or (2) a single bond, --O-- or --OCOO--, in which case T represents a halogen atom, X represents --OCO--, --COO--, --C.dbd.C--, --CH.dbd.N--, --N.dbd.CH, Y represents single bond, --O--, --COO--, --OCO--, --CH.sub.2 --, --OCH.sub.2 --, --COOCH.sub.2 -- or --OCOCH.sub.2 --, Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2 represents a hydrogen or halogen atom, a cyano group or nitro group, Z.sub.1 may be the same or different from Z.sub.2, l and m are one or more than one each and a total of l and m is three or more than three, the carbon atom marked with * is an asymmetric carbon atom.

Polyphenyl-based ester compounds and liquid crystal compositions

Polyphenyl-based liquid crystal compounds represented by the following general formula (1) and liquid crystal composition containing the same: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents a straight or branched C.sub.1-18 alkyl group, haloalkyl group, aralkyl group or haloaralkyl group with or without optically active carbon, R.sup.2 represents a straight or branched C.sub.1-6 alkyl group, haloalkyl group or aralkyl group with or without optically active carbon, W represents (1) --OCO-- or --COO--, in which case T represents a halogen atom or a methyl group, or (2) a single bond, --O-- or --OCOO--, in which case T represents a halogen atom, X represents --OCO--, --COO--, --C.dbd.C--, --CH.dbd.N--, --N.dbd.CH, Y represents single bond, --O--, --COO--, --OCO--, --CH.sub.2 --, --OCH.sub.2 --, --COOCH.sub.2 -- or --OCOCH.sub.2 --, Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2 represent a hydrogen or halogen atom, a cyano group or nitro group, Z.sub.1 may be the same or different from Z.sub.2, l and m are one or more than one each and a total of l and m is three or more than three, the carbon atom marked with * is an asymmetric carbon atom.

A phenyl pyrimidine compound of this invention represented by the following formula (I) forms a smectic C phase and is useful for a constituent of a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition.

Phenyl pyrimidine compound and liquid crystalline composition

Disclosed is an optically active cyclopropane compound represented by the formula (1): ##STR1## wherein R is an alkyl or cycloalkyl group, n is 0 or 1, Y.sup.4 is --CO.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --, --OCO-- or --OCH.sub.2 --, Y.sup.1, Y.sup.2 and Y.sup.3 independently represent --CO.sub.2 --, --OCO--, --O--, a direct bond or --CH.sub.2 O--, Z.sup.1, Z.sup.2, and Z.sup.3 independently represent ##STR2## A.sup.1, A.sup.2 and A.sup.3 independently represent fluorine, bromine, chlorine, a cyano group or hydrogen, and the mark ##STR3## indicates an asymmetric carbon atom. The optically active cyclopropane compound includes a compound which exhibits a ferroelectric liquid crystalline characteristic, and a compound which does not exhibit a ferroelectric liquid characteristic when used alone, but, can be used as a constituent of a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition.

Optically active compound and liquid crystalline composition

A phenyl-pyrimidine liquid crystal compound represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different and each represent an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, and X and Y each represent one of a single bond, --O--, --OCO--, --COO-- and --OCOO--, provided that one of X and Y is --OCOO--.

Phenyl-pyrimidine liquid crystal compounds and liquid crystal

A liquid crystal compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 represent C.sub.1-18 alkyl group, alkyl halide group or aralkyl halide, R.sup.1 may be the same as or different from R.sup.2, X is selected from --COOCH.sub.2 -- or --OCO--.

Biphenyl-based diester compounds and liquid crystal compositions

A liquid crystal compound represented by the following general formula (1), which possess a large spontaneous polarization about room temperature and a liquid crystal composition containing a liquid crystal compound represented by the following general formula (1) ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents C.sub.6-14 alkyl group, R.sup.2 represents straight or branched alkyl group with or without optically active carbon, X represents a group selected from --OCOO--, --O--, --COO--, --OCO-- or single bond, Y represents a group selected from --COOCH.sub.2 --, --OCO-- or --OCOO--, in which either X or Y is at least --OCOO-- group, m represents 0 or 1, Z represents a chlorine or bromine, a carbon atom marked with * represents optically active carbon atom.

Biphenyl carbonic acid ester compounds and liquid crystal composition

Polyphenyl-based liquid crystal compounds represented by the following general formula (1) and liquid crystal composition containing the same: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents a straight or branched C.sub.1-18 alkyl group, haloalkyl group, aralkyl group or haloaralkyl group with or without optically active carbon, R.sup.2 represents a straight or branched C.sub.1-6 alkyl group, haloalkyl group or aralkyl group with or without optically active carbon, W represents (1) --OCO-- or --COO--, in which case T represents a halogen atom or a methyl group, or (2) a single bond, --O-- or --OCOO--, in which case T represents a halogen atom, X represents --OCO--, --COO--, --C.tbd.C--, --CH.dbd.N--, --N.dbd.CH, Y represents single bond, --O--, --COO--, --OCO--, --CH.sub.2 --, --OCH.sub.2 --, --COOCH.sub.2 -- or --OCOCH.sub.2 --, Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.2 represent a hydrogen or halogen atom, a cyano group or nitro group, Z.sub.1 may be the same or different from Z.sub.2, l and m are one or more than one each and a total of l and m is three or more than three, the carbon atom marked with * is an asymmetric carbon atom.

A liquid crystal compound of the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl group, X is chloro or bromo, and R.sup.2 is a branched-alkyl group; and the carbon atom marked with an * is an asymmetric carbon atom.

Growing community of inventors

Kawasaki, Japan

Naoko Mikami