NEW MATERIAL:A trans-4-substituted cyclohexyl para-substituted benzoate I (R1 and R2 are 1W10C alkyl or alkoxy).
EXAMPLE: Trans-4-n-heptylcyclohexyl p-methoxybenzoate.
USE: A component of a liquid crystal composition useful as a display element, e.g. twisted nematic display element, etc. It is a liquid crystal compound having negative dielectric anisotropy and has a nematic liquid crystal temperature range near 40W 50°C. It has excellent stability and a comparably low viscosity.
PROCESS: A compound II is reduced with hydrogen in the presence of Raney nickel catalyst, acetylated with acetic anhydride, etc., epimerized with sodium ethoxide in N-methyl-2-pyrolidone, and hydrolyzed to give mainly the trans-isomer III. A compound I (trans-isomer) is prepared by reacting the trans-isomer III with a compound IV in the presence of pyridine.
SATOU HIDEO
INUKAI TAKASHI
FURUKAWA KENJI
