Optically active compound and ferroelectric liquid crystal composition containing the same.

摘要

An optically active compound of the formula: <CHEM> wherein R<1> is an alkyl or alkyloxy group, Y is a halogen atom, cyano group, nitro group, methyl group, hydrogen atom or trifluoromethyl group, and A is nitro group, cyano group, carboxyl group, hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkyloxy group, -CO-R<2> or <CHEM> in which R<2> is an alkyl or alkyloxy group and Y is as defined above, which is useful as an additive for liquid crystals and can provide a ferroelectric liquid crystal composition when added to smectic liquid crystals, and which also provide a chiral nematic liquid crystal composition when added to nematic liquid crystals.