Abstract: The invention concerns crystalline liquid substituted 1,3-dioxanes and compositions containing the same for use in electro-optical components, characterized by at least one compound of the general formula: ##STR1## R.sup.3 =C.sub.n H.sub.2n+1 ; C.sub.n H.sub.2n+1 O, Cl, Br, CN, NO.sub.2, and where R.sup.4 =C.sub.n H.sub.2n+1 and n=1 to 10.

Abstract: The invention relates to nematic liquid crystals, especially for electro-optical components for the modulation of transmitted or reflected light, as well as for the display of numbers, symbols and images, exhibiting favorable physical characteristics, as well as to a method for the production of the new substances.It has been found that new liquid crystal 2-substituted-1,3-dioxane-5-carboxylic acid esters of the general formula ##STR1## are suited for use in electro-optical components for the modulation of the light, as well as for the display of numbers, symbols and images, and can be used alone, in mixtures with each other and/or in mixtures with additional liquid crystal or non-liquid crystal substances.