Abstract: A liquid crystal composition, comprising a main chain-type mesomorphic polymer and a mesomorphic monomer and showing a smectic phase including a plurality of molecular layers, wherein a linkage of a covalent bond is present between adjacent molecular layers among the plurality molecular layers. Because of the presence of the covalent bond linkage between the molecular layers, the elastic energy of the liquid crystal per se relating to the elastic energy between the smectic liquid crystal molecular layers can be controlled to provide a uniform alignment. The mesomorphic polymer preferably has a structure represented by the following formula (1): ##STR1## wherein A denotes a terminal flexible chain group, M denotes a mesogen group, F denotes a spacer flexible chain group, x is 0 or 1, B denotes an ester bond group, ether bond group, thioester bond group, dimethylsiloxane bond group or thioether bond group, and y is 1-200.

Abstract: A bifunctional optically active liquid crystal intermediate compound represented by the following Formula (I): X--Y--C.sub.* H(M)--CH.sub.2 --OH is disclosed, wherein X represents CH.sub.2 .dbd.CH--, HOCH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --, HSCH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --, HOCH.sub.2 --, HOOC--, HOCH.sub.2 CH.dbd.CH--, CH.sub.3 CH(OH)-- or HOCH.sub.2 C.sub.* H(Z)--; Y represents --CH.sub.2).sub.n or --CH.sub.2 (.sub.m O).sub.l CH.sub.2 --, where n represents an integer of 1 to 18, m represents an integer of 1 to 12, and l represents an integer of 1 to 4; M and Z each represents halogen atom, an alkyl group or an alkoxy group, said halogen atom being selected from the group consisting of I, Cl, Br and F, and said alkyl group or alkoxy group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms; and the mark * represents an asymmetric carbon atom. A process for preparing the intermediate compound is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of optical resolution of DL-cysteine utilizing optically active mandelic acid. The method facilitates commercial production of optically active cysteine, particularly L-cysteine which is in great demand.

Abstract: (.+-.)-2-Amino-1-butanol and/or (.+-.)-mandelic acid are optically resolved with a high resolution efficiency and high optical purities by preferentially crystallizing out one of the pair of less soluble enantiomeric salts (or optical antipodes), namely (+)-2-amino-1-butanol-(+)-mandelic acid salt and (-)-2-amino-1-butanol-(-)-mandelic acid salt.