Abstract: The present invention relates to polyether compounds, active hydrogen compounds and resin-forming compositions composed of the polyols, and methods for producing foams by employing the active hydrogen components. These polyether compounds have a decreased number of moles of added EO thereby maintaining the hydrophobicity and have sufficient reactivity as polyol components of resins, thereby having high reaction rates. Therefore, it is possible to provide resins having excellent resin properties (tensile strength, flexural strength, water-absorption swelling ratio, etc.).

Abstract: The present invention relates to polyether compounds, active hydrogen compounds and resin-forming compositions composed of the polyols, and methods for producing foams by employing the active hydrogen components. These polyether compounds have a decreased number of moles of added EO thereby maintaining the hydrophobicity and have sufficient reactivity as polyol components of resins, thereby having high reaction rates. Therefore, it is possible to provide resins having excellent resin properties (tensile strength, flexural strength, water-absorption swelling ratio, etc.).

Abstract: A polyurethane foam which is obtained by reacting an addition-polymerizable active hydrogen component comprising a compound having a group containing active hydrogen and an addition-polymerizable functional group or comprising both this compound and a compound containing at least 2.5 groups (on the average) containing active hydrogen and not containing addition-polymerizable functional groups with an organic polyisocyanate in the presence or absence of at least one auxiliary selected from the group consisting of foaming agents and additives to polymerize the addition-polymerizable functional group and simultaneously form a polyurethane, and which has a structure in which the chains formed by the addition polymerization have been cross-linked to the polyurethane chains. The polyurethane foam is useful as a rigid polyurethane foam excellent in hardness, dimensional stability, etc. and usable as a heat insulator, shock-absorbing material, synthetic wood, etc.

Abstract: A polyurethane foam which is obtained by reacting an addition-polymerizable active hydrogen component comprising a compound having a group containing active hydrogen and an addition-polymerizable functional group or comprising both this compound and a compound containing at least 2.5 groups (on the average) containing active hydrogen and not containing addition-polymerizable functional groups with an organic polyisocyanate in the presence or absence of at least one auxiliary selected from the group consisting of foaming agents and additives to polymerize the addition-polymerizable functional group and simultaneously form a polyurethane, and which has a structure in which the chains formed by the addition polymerization have been cross-linked to the polyurethane chains. The polyurethane foam is useful as a rigid polyurethane foam excellent in hardness, dimensional stability, etc. and usable as a heat insulator, shock-absorbing material, synthetic wood, etc.

Abstract: This invention is directed to reduce the viscosity of a naphthalene type mixed liquid crystal and to improve display quality while maintaining a bookshelf layer structure. The ferroelectric liquid crystal composition of the present invention comprises 70 to 97 parts by weight of a naphthalene base mixed liquid crystal and 3 to 30 parts by weight of a predetermined tolan type liquid crystal.

Abstract: Optically active compounds having the following formulae (1), (2) or (3) ##STR1## wherein R and R' are C.sub.1-20 alkyl groups; X and Y.sub.1 are --, O, S, or divalent groups such as COO, OOC and OCOO; m is 0 or 1; n is 0 to 5; A.sub.2 is a cyclic group, such as p,p'-biphenylene, 2,6-naphthylene, 2,5-pyrimidinylene-1,4-phenylene, A.sub.1 --Y.sub.2 -pyridylene or A.sub.4 --Y.sub.2 --A.sub.5 ; Y.sub.2 is CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 or C.tbd.C; A.sub.3 is 2,6-naphthylene, A.sub.1 --Y.sub.2 -pyridylene or A.sub.6 --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 --A.sub.7 ; and A.sub.1, A.sub.4, A.sub.5, A.sub.6 and A.sub.7 are cyclic groups, such as 1,4-phenylene and/or 4,4'-biphenylene.

Abstract: Optically active compounds having the following formulae (1), (2) or (3) ##STR1## wherein R and R' are C.sub.1-20 alkyl groups; X and Y.sub.1 are --, O, S, or divalent groups such as COO, OOC and OCOO; m is 0 or 1; n is 0 to 5; A.sub.2 is a cyclic group, such as p,p'-biphenylene, 2,6-naphthylene, 2,5-pyrimidinylene-1,4-phenylene, A.sub.1 -Y.sub.2 -pyridylene or A.sub.4 -Y.sub.2 -A.sub.5 ; Y.sub.2 is CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 or C.tbd.C; A.sub.3 is 2,6-naphthylene, A.sub.1 -Y.sub.2 -pyridylene or A.sub.6 -CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 -A.sub.7 ; and A.sub.1, A.sub.4, A.sub.5, A.sub.6 and A.sub.7 are cyclic groups, such as 1,4-phenylene and/or 4,4'-biphenylene.

Abstract: Liquid Crystal compounds represented by the following formula are disclosed. ##STR1## wherein R and R' are independently selected from alkyl groups containing 1.about.20 carbon atoms; X is --O--, --O--CO--O-- or direct bond; A.sub.1 and A.sub.2 are independently cyclic groups (such as phenylene and biphenylene), said cyclic groups may be substituted with 1.about.4 fluorine, chlorine or bromine atoms, or 1 or 2 substituent groups selected from the group consisting of cyano, nitro and trifluoromethyl groups; Y is --CO--O--, --O--CO--, --C.tbd.C--, --CH.sub.2 O--, --OCH.sub.2 --, --CH.dbd.N--, --N.dbd.CH--, --N.dbd.N--, --CH.sub.2 S--, --SCH.sub.2 -- or direct bond; and * represents asymmetric atom providing optical activity.