Abstract: A liquid crystal cell which minimizes disordered orientation occurring with temperature changes even across a wide range, to exhibit good contrast and high reliability, as well as a smectic liquid crystal composition for use the liquid crystal cell are provided. In smectic liquid crystal compositions having a layer construction in the liquid crystal molecular arrangement, it was found that antiferroelectric liquid crystal compositions resistant to variation in the layer spacing of the smectic phase due to temperature changes are resistant to disordered orientation. Specifically, if the antiferroelectric liquid crystal composition contains at lest 45 wt % of an antiferroelectric liquid crystal compound with roughly constant layer spacing in a temperature range from the temperature t.sub.1 which gives the minimum value for the layer spacing of the smectic C.sub.A * phase to -20.degree. C., no disordered liquid crystal orientation results even after cold/hot temperature cycles.

Abstract: A liquid crystal compound represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents an alkyl group having from 3 to 18 carbon atoms; R.sub.2 represents an alkyl group having from 3 to 18 carbon atoms; X represents ##STR2## Y represents ##STR3## (A) and (B) each represents a group selected from the group consisting of ##STR4## and ##STR5## and * indicates an optically active center.

Abstract: Aligning films formed on electrode plates of a liquid crystal cell containing an antiferroelectric liquid crystal are each made of a polyimide film represented by the following chemical formula: ##STR1## wherein x.sub.1 and Y.sub.

Abstract: A process for producing an optically active halogen-containing alcohol having a high optical purity and represented by the following formula [I] ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is a halogen substituted alkyl group, R.sup.2 is a group selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, alkene group, or alkyne group, and a substituted or unsubstituted phenyl group, and C having an asterisk indicates an asymmetric atom,is disclosed which process comprises subjecting a halogenated alkyl ester of a carboxylic acid represented by the following formula [II] ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are the same as mentioned above and R.sup.3 is a group selected from the group consisting of a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or alkene group, and a substituted or unsabstituted phenyl group,to asymmetric hydrolysis with an enzyme in an aqueous solution system, and the aqueous solution system may contain buffer solution and/or organic solvent.

Abstract: The present invention is to provide a liquid crystal monomeric compound where a liquid crystal phase readily appears, which is excellent in alignment control, film-formability, durability, heat-stability and compatibility, and is able to be applied to electro-optical liquid crystal elements and recording elements; and a side-chain liquid crystal polymer compound modified with such a monomeric compound.The liquid crystal monomeric compound is represented by the following formula:CH.sub.2 .dbd.CH--(CH.sub.2).sub.m --R [1]wherein m is an integer of 2 to 20 and R is a group selected from the group consisting of ##STR1## wherein p is 1 or 2, Rf is CF.sub.3 or CF.sub.2 F.sub.5, R.sup.1 is an alkyl group having 3-18 carbon atoms, * means an optically active carbon atom, (A) and (B) each is a group independently selected from the group consisting of ##STR2## which may be substituted with one or more halogen atoms, and X is --O--, --COO--or a direct linkage, and ##STR3## wherein p, Rf, R.sup.

Abstract: A composition of (R)-isomer and (S)-isomer of a liquid crystal compound represented by the formula; ##STR1## wherein X represents --O-- or a direct bond, Z represents a halogen-substituted alkyl group selected from a group consisting of --CF.sub.3, --CHF.sub.2, --CH.sub.2 F, --C.sub.2 F.sub.5, --CClF.sub.2, -CCl.sub.2 F, --CCl.sub.2 CF.sub.3, and --C.sub.3 F.sub.7, m represents an integer of from 1 to 20, n represents an integer of from 1 to 20, and * represents an asymmetric carbon, and the optical purity of said composition is high enough to exhibit optically tristable states in S*(3) phase when electric voltage is applied.

Abstract: An antiferroelectric liquid crystal compound of the following formulae: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each is an alkyl group of C.sub.4 - C.sub.18, Rf is CF.sub.3 or C.sub.2 F.sub.5, X is O, COO, or a single bond, and * shows an optically active carbon atom.

Abstract: A liquid crystal composition is disclosed having antiferroelectric phases at two temperature ranges. A liquid crystal element and device using the liquid crystal composition are also disclosed.

Abstract: An antiferroelectric liquid crystal compound represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of alkyl groups having from 3 to 18 carbon atoms, Rf is a lower alkyl group or a fluorinated lower alkyl group, (A) and (B) are each independently selected from the group consisting of 1,4-phenylene, 4,4'-biphenylene, and 2,6-naphthalene which may be substituted at least with a halogen atom, and * shows an asymmetric carbon atom.

Abstract: A novel antiferroelectric liquid crystal compound is disclosed which is represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from C.sub.3 -C.sub.18 alkyl groups, respectively, Rf is a lower fluoroalkyl group, X is a group selected from the group consisting of --O--, --COO--, --OCO--, and --CO--, or a single bond, (A) and (B) each is a group independently selected from the group consisting of phenyl, biphenyl, and naphthalene group which may be substituted with a halogen atom, and C having an asterisk indicates an asynunetric carbon atom. A process for producing the antiferroelectric liquid crystal compound is also disclosed.

Abstract: A novel antiferroelectric liquid crystal compound is disclosed which is represented by the following formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from C.sub.3 -C.sub.18 alkyl groups, respectively, Rf is a lower fluoroalkyl group, X is a group selected from the group consisting of --O--, --COO--, --OOC--, and --CO--, or a single bond, (A) and (B) each is independently a group selected from the group consisting of phenyl, biphenyl, and naphthalene group which may be substituted with a halogen atom, and C having an asterisk indicates an asymmetric carbon atom.

Abstract: (R)- and (S)-enantiomer composition represented by the formula (I) having sufficient high optical purity for exhibiting optically tristable states in S*(3) phase; ##STR1## wherein Ra means a C.sub.5 -C.sub.14 alkyl group or a C.sub.5 -C.sub.14 alkoxy group, preferably a C.sub.5 -C.sub.14 alkyl group, Rb means a C.sub.4 -C.sub.12 normal alkyl group or a C.sub.4 -C.sub.12 branched alkyl group, X means a ##STR2## group or a ##STR3## group, Z means a fluorine containing alkyl group, preferably a trifluoromethyl group and * shows an optically active carbon.

Abstract: A liquid crystal compound represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents an alkyl group having from 3 to 18 carbon atoms; R.sub.2 represents an alkyl group having from 3 to 18 carbon atoms; X represents ##STR2## (A) and (B) each represents a group selected from the group consisting of ##STR3## and * indicates an optically active center.

Abstract: Liquid crystal compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each is a C.sub.1-18 alkyl group or an aralkyl group, R' is a haloalkyl group, X is --0--, --CO--, --COO-- or direct bond, Y is --COO--, --OCO-- or --CH.sub.2 O--, (A) and (B) each is ##STR2## and p and l each is zero or one.

Abstract: Liquid crystal compounds represented by the formula; ##STR1## in which Ra means an alkyl group of 1-20 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group of 1-20 carbon atoms; Rb means an aliphatic alkyl group, a branched alkyl group or an aralkyl group respectively of 1-20 carbon atoms, an alkoxy group of 1-20 carbon atoms, or an alkanoyl methyl group having 1-20 carbon atoms in the alkyl; ##STR2## Z means a fluorinated alkyl or a fluorinated haloalkyl; m is an integer of from 1 to 3; n is an integer of from 0 to 2 where when n is 0, Y is a single bond; and * shows an optically active center, which have a larger spontaneous polarization, high speed of response and good orientation, and show tristable liquid crystal phase.

Abstract: A liquid crystal compound represented by formula (I): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 represents an alkyl group having from 1 to 18 carbon atoms; R.sub.2 represents an optically active group represented by formula (II), (III) or (IV): ##STR2## wherein R.sub.3 represents a lower halo-alkyl group having from 1 to 2 carbon atoms; X represents --O--, --COO--, --OCO-- or a single bond; Y represents --CH.sub.2 O-- or --COO--; and Z represents --COO-- or --O--, l represents 0 or 1, provided that when l is 0, Y is a single bond; n represents an integer of from 1 to 18; and * indicates an optically active center. The compound exhibits three stable states of molecular orientation.

Abstract: The invention lies particularly in novel compounds represented by the general formula; ##STR1## in which Z means CF.sub.3, CHF.sub.2, CH.sub.2 F, CClF.sub.2, CCl.sub.2 F, CHCLF, CCl.sub.3, C.sub.2 F.sub.2 or a perfluoroalkyl group of 3 or more carbon atoms, m and n are same or different with each other and represent an integral of 1-20, which are ferroelectric and chiral smetic liquid crystals of a large spontaneous polarization, a high speed of response and a good orientation, and showing a liquid crystal phase of tristable state and an electoclinic effect to be used as a liquid crystal element superior in an image display response.

Abstract: Ferrelectric chiral smetic liquid crystal compound are provided which have the formula, for example ##STR1## wherein R is a C.sub.1-20 alkyl group.

Abstract: Disclosed is a novel compound 2-trifluoromethyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid represented by the formula: ##STR1##

Abstract: Novel ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystal compounds of the invention, which comprise those showing optically tristable states in phase S*.sub.(3), have a wide range of phase transition temperature so as to be not only preferably used solely as display element material but also mixed with any other liquid crystal to desiredly expand the above range wider and make optical response time faster.Typical compounds are represented by ##STR1## in which Z means CF.sub.3, C.sub.2 F.sub.5, CHF.sub.2, CH.sub.2 F, CClF.sub.2, CCl.sub.2 F, CF.sub.3 CCl.sub.2 or C.sub.3 F.sub.7, m' and n' are same or different with each other and each is an integer of 1-20.