Ajinomoto Co., Ltd.

Ryoichi Higuchi

Naoko Mikami

Takao Sakurai

Koji Takeuchi

Kiriko Akaiwa

Eri Yamamoto

Tatsuru Tabohashi

Tadahiko Yokota

Masao Honma

Eri Komatsu

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

Tokyo, Japan

Ryoichi Higuchi