Abstract: Trans-4-alkyl-cyanoarylcyclohexanes are prepared in a stereoselective manner from arylcarboxylic acids of the formula Ar-[Ar].sub.n -Ar-4-COOH, Ar being aryl and n being 0 to 2, by first converting such a carboxylic acid to a mixture of the cis and trans isomers of the corresponding cyclohexa-2,5-diene-4-carboxylic acid, esterifying the resulting isomer mixture with a lower alkanol and further hydrogenating the resulting esters/isomers to produce the cis and trans isomers of the corresponding cyclohexane-4-carboxylic acid esters, isomerizing the cis isomers in the mixture to the trans isomer thereby producing a mixture containing the trans isomer substantially free from cis isomer, stereospecifically saponifying the trans isomer, growing a carbon chain of desired length on the carboxyl group of the resulting carboxylic acid, reducing the carbonyl group thereof, and introducing a cyano group into the terminal aryl group. The resulting product is useful as a nematic liquid crystal.