Mesomorphic compound having alkyl beta-hydroxycarboxylate as chiral group and liquid crystal composition containing same.

摘要

Disclosed is a mesomorphic compound having an alkyl beta -hydroxycarboxylate as the chiral group, which is represented by the formula: <CHEM> wherein m is. an integer of 1 to 19, R1 and R2 are a phenylene or biphenylene group, X is -CO2-, -OCH2- or -CH2O-, R is a methyl or ethyl group, n is an integer of 3 to 12 when X is -CO2- or n is an integer of 2 to 12 when X is -OCH2- or -CH2O-, and * indicates the asymmetric carbon. The mesomorphic compound is valuable as a ferroelectric liquid crystal or an additive to a ferroelectric liquid crystal or to a compound showing the Sm*C phase and having no chiral group.