Optically active naphthalene derivative, process for preparation thereof, liquid crystal composition containing the same as effective component, and liquid crystal element using the same.

摘要

Disclosed herein are a novel optically active naphthalene derivative, a process of the preparation thereof a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition containing the same and a liquid crystal element using the composition. The above optically active naphthalene derivatives including optically active naphthylcarboxylic acid derivative, hydroxynaphthalene derivative, alkoxynaphthylalkanol derivative and alkylnaphthylalkanol derivative have the following structural formula: <CHEM> wherein R<1> denotes an alkyl group of 3-20 carbon atoms, R<2> denotes an alkyl group of 1-20 carbon atoms optionally substituted with halogen atom(s) or an alkoxyalkyl group of 2-20 carbon atoms optionally substituted with halogen atom(s), X denotes -COO- or -OCO-, k, l and m denotes 0 or 1 respectively, n denotes an integer of 0-6, p denotes 0 or 1, and an asterisk indicates an asymmetric carbon atom, proviso when k is 0, l and m are not 1 at the same time, when k is 1, m is 1, and when n is 0 and m is 1, X is -COO-. These optically active naphthalene derivatives are useful as a ferroelectric liquid crystal material or its component having a sufficient spontaneous polarization and by which a high speed response is possible and which further exhibits a ferroelectric liquid crystal phase in a temperature region around room temperature.