Abstract: Optically active 1,3-dioxolane derivatives which carry a mesogenic radical in the 4-position and have the general formula (I) ##STR1## are suitable for use as doping agents in liquid-crystal mixtures--in particular ferroelectric liquid-crystal mixtures. The symbols in the general formula have the following meanings:R.sup.1 is composed analogously to the part of the general formula on the right-hand side of X or is an alkyl or alkylene radical which can be substituted,R.sup.2, R.sub.3 and R.sup.4 are H or alkyl (R.sup.4 is also alkenyl) which can also be substituted [R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, together with the C(2) of the dioxolane ring are also a cycloaliphatic radical or a keto group], J, l and n are zero, 1 or 2 and k and m are zero or 1, subject to the proviso that, if k is zero n is zero and if n is zero m is zero and 1.ltoreq.J+l+n.ltoreq.3,--A.sup.1, --A.sup.2 and --A.sup.3 are an aromatic, heterocyclic or aliphatic ring system, --M.sup.1 and --M.sup.2 are --CO--O, --0--CO, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2, --CH.dbd.

Abstract: The use of optically active tetrahydrofuran-2-carboxylic acid esters as dopants in liquid-crystal mixtures, liquid-crystal mixtures containing same and novel optically active tetrahydrofuran-2-carboxylic acid esters.Optically active tetrahydrofuran-2-carboxylic acid esters containing a mesogenic molecular building unit are suitable as dopants in liquid-crystal mixtures. They result in liquid-crystalline ferroelectric phases having short switching times and in electroclinic phases having large electroclinic coefficients. A further advantage is that they induce a helix having a very small pitch so that they are also suitable for helix compensation in LC mixtures.The compounds are symbolized by the general formula: ##STR1## in which the symbols and indices essentially denote: R.sup.1 =alkyl/alkenyl or tetrahydrofurancarbonyloxy or -thio; j, l, n=zero, 1 or 2; k, m=zero or 1; --A.sup.1, --A.sup.2, --A.sup.3 =phenylene, cycloalkylene or corresponding heterocyclates containing nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur; --M.sup.

Abstract: The novel silylalkyl or silylalkenyl compounds correspond to the general formula (I) ##STR1## Here the symbols A.sup.1, A.sup.2, A.sup.3 denote aromatic or heteroaromatic molecular units such as 1,4-phenylene or pyrimidine-2,5-diyl which are combined via a single bond (for k, m=0) or via functional groups M.sup.1,M.sup.2 such as CO--O or CH.sub.2 --O; j, k, l, m, n are zero or 1 (j+l+n=2 or 3). The radicals R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.5 are hydrogen or alkyl/alkenyl, cycloalkyl, and the radicals R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8 have a comparable meaning (hydrogen); R.sup.1 is alkyl/alkenyl or one of the substituents known from LC chemistry such as an .alpha.-haloalkanoic radical. In some cases compounds have wide and polymorphous liquid crystalline phases.