Hoffmann-la Roche Inc.

Rolic Ag

Dainippon Ink and Chemicals, Incorporated

Teodor Lukac

Richard Buchecker

Milan Soukup

Erich Widmer

Alois Villiger

Klaus Schmitt

Carsten Benecke

Martin Schadt

Haruyoshi Takatsu

Emil A Broger

Zoubair Mohammed Cherkaoui

Yvo Crameri

Reinhard Zell

Joachim Reichardt

The present invention relates to mesogenic, cross-linkable mixtures comprising (i) a cross-linkable liquid crystalline host compound comprising at least one cross-linkable liquid crystalline compound, and (ii) at least one chiral or achiral rod shaped additive component, wherein said additive component has a rigid core and comprises at least two fused or linked, optionally substituted, non-aromatic, aromatic, carbocyclic or heterocyclic groups, and also comprises at least one optionally substituted alkyl residue, and at least one polymerizable group and wherein the additive component has a transition temperature to the isotropic state of 40&#xb0; C. or lower. The invention also relates to the novel chiral or achiral rod-shaped additive compounds used for the preparation of these mixtures, to mixtures according to the invention in form of an elastomer, polymer gel, polymer network or polymer film, to polymer networks and liquid crystalline polymer films prepared from these mixtures and to optical or electrooptical components comprising polymer networks and liquid crystalline polymer films prepared from such mixtures. Further, the invention relates to the use of the chiral or achiral rod shaped compounds as components of a cross-linkable liquid crystalline mixture in the production of orientated liquid crystalline polymers, to liquid crystalline mixtures comprising these compounds, to liquid crystalline polymers and liquid crystalline polymer networks prepared from such liquid crystalline mixtures, and to liquid crystalline devices comprising these compounds.

Additive components for liquid crystalline materials

Laterally substituted curable liquid crystals

Polymerisable optically active compounds have the general formula: ##STR1## where: W.sup.1 denotes a polymerisable residue,

Polymerisable, optically active dioxolane diesters

Optically active .alpha.-bromo- or .alpha.-chlorocarboxylic compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein X is bromine or chlorine;

Process for preparation of optically active .alpha.-bromo and

Compounds of the general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents vinyl or straight-chain alkenyl with 3 to 7 carbon atoms, the manufacture of such compounds, liquid crystalline mixtures which contain such compounds as well as the use of such compounds for electro-optical purposes.

Tricyclic fluorobenzonitrile derivatives

A process for the manufacture of compounds of the general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 signifies hydroxy or an etherified hydroxy group, and of zeaxanthin by converting a compound of the general formula ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1 has the above significance, in an inert organic solvent into the acetylenide and reacting this with methyl vinyl ketone, reducing the alcoholate obtained or the alcohol (obtained after hydrolysis of the alcoholate) of the general formula ##STR3## wherein R.sup.1 has the above significance, in an inert organic solvent with an aluminum hydride of the general formula

Ethynylcyclohexene compounds and processes for manufacture thereof

A process for the manufacture of compounds of the general formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 signifies hydroxy or an etherified hydroxy group, and of zeaxanthin by converting a compound of the general formula ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1 has the above significance, in an inert organic solvent into the acetylenide and reacting this with methyl vinyl ketone, reducing the alcoholate obtained or the alcohol (obtained after hydrolysis of the alcoholate) of the general formula ##STR3## wherein R.sup.1 has the above significance, and subsequently hydrolyzing to give the compound of formula IV and, if desired, converting the compound of formula IV obtained into zeaxanthin.

Ethynylcyclohexene compounds

A process for producing cycloketones of a 5 or 6 carbon chain length through which said ketones are known intermediates for producing carotenoids.

Process for carotenoid intermediates

Compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein n is either 0 or 1; R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is hydrogen and the other is hydrogen, hydroxy, oxo group, a protected hydroxy or protected oxo group; R.sup.3 is hydroxy oxo group, .dbd.CH--CH.sub.2 --OH, .dbd.CH--CHO or one of the foregoing groups where the hydroxy or oxo functions are protected; R.sup.4 is --CO--OR.sup.6, --CO--R.sup.6, --CO--NR.sup.6 R.sup.7, --CO--Cl or --SO.sub.2 --R.sup.6 ; R.sup.6 is saturated or aromatic hydrocarbon; and R.sup.7 is saturated or aromatic hydrocarbon or hydrogen, are converted by cleavage of R.sup.4 OH into corresponding cycloalkenes and protecting groups, if present, are hydrolyzed. The compounds obtained are valuable intermediates in carotenoid syntheses.

Substituted alkynes useful as intermediates in the synthesis of

A process for the manufacture of 3-hydroxy-2,6,6,-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-2-one, an intermediate in canthaxanthin synthesis, by isomerizing 1,1,3-trimethyl-7-oxabicyclo[4.1.0]heptan-2-one in the presence of a palladium(O) complex of an acetone derivative of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are aryl and R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are hydrogen or monovalent hydrocarbon groups optionally carrying a carbonyl function, a bis-(diphenylphosphino) derivative of the formula

Process for the manufacture of 3-hydroxy-2,6,6,-trimethyl-2

A process for producing 3-(5-hydroxy-3-methyl-1,3-pentadienyl)-2,4,4-trimethyl-2-cyclohexen-1-one, an intermediate for canthaxanthin, by hydrogenation of 5-(2,6,6-trimethyl-3-oxo-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3-methyl-2-penten-4-yn-1-ol with zinc and a carboxylic acid.

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Basel, Switzerland

Teodor Lukac