Abstract: The present invention provides organogermanium compounds and liquid crystal compositions comprising such a compound.

Abstract: The invention relates to chiral nonracemic liquid crystal compounds having achiral tails comprising a perfluoroalkyl terminal portion which are useful as components in liquid crystal to impart high polarization to the mixture. The materials of this invention can be combined with known liquid crystal host materials to impart improved properties. Chiral nonracemic compounds of this invention can function as additives or dopants in host materials to impart chirality into an LC material.

Abstract: Compounds useful as components of LC and FLC compositions which in turn are useful in the manufacture of optical devices. Compounds of this invention have a silane tail, which can contain more than one Si. Compounds of this invention can include those with disilane tails. The invention provides LC compositions containing one or more of the silanes of this invention. Addition of one or more of the compounds of this invention to LC compositions can result in significant improvement in optical or LC properties. In particular, the compounds of this invention can significantly lower the melting point, freezing point or both of an LC composition resulting in significant improvement in device stability.

Abstract: Compounds that are useful as components in liquid crystal compositions, particularly in ferroelectric liquid crystal compositions. Compounds of the invention are rod-like molecules with a mesogenic (generally linear) core to which an alkene tail and an alkyl or alkoxy tail with a perfluoroalkyl terminal portion are bonded. Compounds of the invention can contain a variety of one, two or three ring cores, wherein the rings maybe aromatic or alicyclic. Alkenes of the invention are useful as components to improve LC properties of mixtures, for example, to lower melting point of lower freezing point, of LC compositions.

Abstract: Chiral nonracemic, chiral racemic and achiral compounds useful as component of LC compositions which have a silane tail group which is partially fluorinated. The silane tail group comprises a perfluoroalkyl group. The silane tail group of this invention has the formula: where k is 0 or an integer ranging from 1-10; m and n are integers ranging from 1 to about 20; j is 0 or an integer ranging from 1 to 20; Z is —O— or a single bond; R1, R1′, R2 and R2′ are alkyl groups or perfluorinated alkyl groups; and RF is a perfluorinated alkyl group. The invention also provides LC compositions comprising one or more compounds of the invention with partially fluorinated silane tails. The invention also provides optical devices, particularly display devices which contain an aligned layer of an LC composition comprising one or more silane compounds of this invention.

Abstract: A liquid crystal infrared light chopper includes a polarizer that receives and polarizes incoming infrared light, a layer of ferroelectric liquid crystal material switchable between at least two states, a pair of IR transparent, conductive substrates positioned on either side of the liquid crystal layer and an analyzer that blocks IR light of one polarization state and passes IR light of an opposite polarization state. The liquid crystal layer acts on polarized IR light by changing its polarization if the liquid crystal is in a first state and by not changing its polarization if the liquid crystal is in a second state. Voltages applied to the conductive substrates drive the liquid crystal layer to one of the two states. The analyzer blocks IR light when the liquid crystal layer is in one of the states and passes IR light when the liquid crystal layer is in the second state.

Abstract: Chiral nonracemic, chiral racemic and achiral compounds useful as component of LC compositions which have a silane tail group which is partially fluorinated. The silane tail group comprises a perfluoroalkyl group.

Abstract: Compounds that are useful as components in liquid crystal compositions, particularly in ferroelectric liquid crystal compositions. Compounds of the invention are rod-like molecules with a mesogenic (generally linear) core to which an alkene tail and an alkyl or alkoxy tail with a perfluoroalkyl terminal portion are bonded. Compounds of the invention can contain a variety of one, two or three ring cores, wherein the rings maybe aromatic or alicyclic. Alkenes of the invention are useful as components to improve LC properties of mixtures, for example, to lower melting point of lower freezing point, of LC compositions.

Abstract: Compounds useful as components of LC and FLC compositions which in turn are useful in the manufacture of optical devices. Compounds of this invention have a silane tail, which can contain more than one Si. Compounds of this invention can include those with disilane tails. The invention provides LC compositions containing one or more of the silanes of this invention. Addition of one or more of the compounds of this invention to LC compositions can result in significant improvement in optical or LC properties. In particular, the compounds of this invention can significantly lower the melting point, freezing point or both of an LC composition resulting in significant improvement in device stability.

Abstract: High birefringence liquid crystal dopants having the formula:R.sub.1 X--C--.tbd.--D--Twherein C and D, independently of one another, are aromatic ring systems each of which has one or two 5-member or 6-member carbon rings wherein one or two carbons of any ring in C or D can be substituted with a nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur atom and wherein any ring in C or D can be substituted with one or two halogen atoms; T is a halogen, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy, vinylhalide or a group YR.sub.2 where Y is a single bond, double bond, triple bond, --COS--, --CS.sub.2 --, --CH.dbd.CH--CO--S--, --CH.dbd.CH--CS--S-- or --CH.dbd.CH--CO--O-- group; X is a single bond, double bond, triple bond, O or S atoms or a cyclohexane or cyclohexene group, Z--Q--W, where Q is a cyclohexane or cyclohexene ring in which one or two of the ring carbons can be replaced with an O atom or in which one or more of the ring carbons can be substituted with a halogen atom or a cyano group, Z is a single bond or an O or S atom and W is a single bond, a --CH.

Abstract: This invention provides chiral nonracemic compounds of general formula I which are useful as components of FLC compositions in SSFLC and DHFLC devices: ##STR1## wherein Z is a C.dbd.O group or a CH.sub.2 group, R.sub.F is a partially or fully fluorinated alkyl or alkenyl group, R.sub.2 is selected from an alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group in which one or more CH.sub.2 groups can optionally be substituted with one or two halogen atoms or in which one or more non-neighboring CH.sub.2 can be replaced with an O, S or an alkyl silyl group, S.sub.1 (R.sub.A)(R.sub.B), in which R.sub.A and R.sub.B, independently of one another, are small alkyl or alkenyl groups having from one to six carbon atoms, * indicates the chiral carbon and where Ar can be a one, two, or three aromatic ring LC core moieties. In particular, the core can have one to three, aromatic rings which are optionally linked by linking groups including O, S, CH.sub.2 S, SCH.sub.2, CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2, CH.sub.2 O, OCH.sub.2, CH.sub.2 CO.sub.2, CH.sub.

Abstract: The present invention provides liquid crystals that are diphenyldiacetylenes of the general formulas: ##STR1## where W, X, Y and Z are, independently of one another, a halogen atom, a hydrogen atom or a trihalomethyl group, T.sub.1 and T.sub.2, independently of one another can be an alkyl, alkene, alkoxy, alkenoxy, ether, thioalkyl, thioalkenyl, haloalkyl, haloalkoxy or haloalkylether groups having from three to twenty carbon atoms or a silylalkyl, silylalkenyl, silylalkoxy or silylthioalkyl group having from three to twenty-eight carbon atoms and wherein M.sub.1 and M.sub.2 can both be single bonds or one of M.sub.1 or M.sub.2 can be a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene or a --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 -trans-1,4-cyclohexylene.

Abstract: This invention provides chiral nonracemic compounds of formula ##STR1## wherein * indicates a chiral carbon, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2, independently of one another, can be an alkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl group wherein one or more non-neighboring CH.sub.2 groups can be replaced with an O, S or a silyl group (R.sub.A SiR.sub.B) wherein R.sub.A and R.sub.B, independently of one another, are alkyl or alkenyl having from one to six carbon atoms; R.sub.1 having from about 3 to 20 carbon atoms, and R.sub.2 having from 1 to about 18 carbon atoms; X is O, S, CO, COO, OCO, COS or a single bond where Ar is a liquid crystal core moiety having two or three aromatic rings of the formula--(Cyc).sub.n --(A).sub.a --Ph.sub.1 --(B).sub.b --Ph.sub.2 --(C).sub.c --(Ph.sub.3).sub.m --whereinPh.sub.1, Ph.sub.2 and Ph.sub.

Abstract: Chiral, nonracemic compounds of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein m and n are either both zero, both equal one or n is equal to one and m is equal to zero, X and Y and Z are halogens, R' is an alkyl, alkoxyl, alkenyl, thioalkyl, thioether, ether, or alkylsilyl group containing three to fifteen carbon atoms, and R is an alkyl group having one to fifteen carbon atoms and where Ar is:--A.sub.a --(E).sub.e --B.sub.b --(F).sub.f --D.sub.d --where A, B and D independently of one another are aromatic rings which are selected from the group consisting of a phenyl, a pyridine ring, a pyrimidine ring, a pyridizine ring, a pyrazine ring and a thiadiazole ring, wherein a, b and d are integers from 0-3 such that a+b+d=2-3, where E and F independently of one another are linking groups selected from the group consisting of a --CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 --O--, --CH.sub.2 --S--, --O--CH.sub.2 --, --S--CH.sub.

Abstract: Ferroelectric liquid crystal compounds and compositions containing cyclohexenyl derivatives are provided. Specifically provided are compounds of formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 can be an alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, thioalkyl, alkylsilyl group having from one to about twenty carbon atoms. Y denotes --COO--, --OOC--, --CH.sub.2 O--, or --OCH.sub.2 --; and Ar.sub.1 and Ar.sub.2, independently of one another, can be selected from the group consisting of phenyl rings, halogenated phenyl rings and nitrogen-containing aromatic groups. In preferred embodiments the compounds of this invention contain at least one nitrogen-containing aromatic ring. Ar.sub.1 and Ar.sub.2 can be selected from 1,4-phenyl, mono- or dihalogenated 1,4-phenyl, 2,5-pyridinyl, 2,5-pyrimidyl, 2,5-pyrazinyl, 2,5-thiadiazole, 3,6-pyridazinyl and 1,4-cyclohexyl either or both be chiral racemic groups or chiral nonracemic groups.

Abstract: The subject application discloses a chiral nonracemic composition of the general formula:R.sub.1 --Ar--O--CH.sub.2 --C*HX--C*HY--CH.sub.2 --O--R.sub.2wherein R.sub.1 is an achiral tail of two to sixteen carbons; Ar is an achiral FLC core of at least two rings; * denotes a chiral carbon; X and Y are halogens; and R.sub.2 is one to ten carbon atoms. The --O--CH.sub.2 --C*HX--C*HY--CH.sub.2 --O-- segment comprises the chiral proximal segment of the chiral tail; the proximal segment is selected from the enantiomers 2R,3R-dihalo and 2S,3S-dihalo. R.sub.2 is the distal segment of the chiral tail.

Abstract: The subject application discloses a chiral nonracemic composition of the general formula:R.sub.1 --Ar--O--CH.sub.2 --C*HX--C*HY--CH.sub.2 --O--R.sub.2wherein R.sub.1 is an achiral tail of two to sixteen carbons; Ar is an achiral FLC core of at least two rings; * denotes a chiral carbon; X and Y are halogens; and R.sub.2 is one to ten carbon atoms. The --O--CH.sub.2 --C*HX--C*HY--CH.sub.2 --O-- segment comprises the chiral proximal segment of the chiral tail; the proximal segment is selected from the enantiomers 2R,3R-dihalo and 2S,3S-dihalo. R.sub.2 is the distal segment of the chiral tail.