Abstract: Optically active compounds of general formulae ##STR1## wherein A is O or S, R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1-22 carbon atoms, a hydroxy containing alkyl group, para-alkyl substituted phenyl, para-alkyl substituted biphenyl, hydroxyphenyl, hydroxybiphenyl or tosyl; R.sub.2 is an alkyl group having 2-8 carbon atoms; m is an integer of 0-5, n is 0 or 1, where when m=0, n is not 1; p is 0 or 1; q is 0 or 1; D and E are independently H or a halogen atom; R.sub.3 is a linear alkyl group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms; and * and ** are asymmetric centers.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an optically active compound represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 represents an alkyl, alkoxyl, or alkoxyalkanoyloxy group which has 1 to 18 carbon atoms and may be substituted with fluorine, chlorine, or cyano group; R.sup.2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms; ##STR2## m is 0 or 1; Y represents a single bond, --CH.sub.2 O--, or --COO--; Z represents a single bond or --COO--; and C* and C** each independently represents an asymmetric carbon atom of the (R) and (S) configuration, an intermediate therefor being represented by the following general formula (II): ##STR3## wherein R.sup.2 represents an alkyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, n is 0 or 1, and C* and C** each independently represents an asymmetric carbon atom of the (R) or (S) configuration, a process for producing the intermediate, and a liquid-crystal compound using the optically active compound.