Novel optically active compound and liquid crystal composition containing same

摘要

A novel optically active compound suitable for use in a display mode utilizing a ferroelectric liquid crystal, and a chiral smectic liquid crystal composition containing the same are provided, which novel optically active compound is expressed by the formula <IMAGE> (I) wherein R represents an alkyl group of 2 to 15 carbon atoms; X represents CN group or a halogen atom; Y and Z each represent a halogen atom or hydrogen atom, but either one of Y and Z is hydrogen atom; l is 1 or 2; m is 0 or 1; and a symbol * shows that the carbon atom having this symbol attached thereto constitutes an optically active center.