OPTICALLY ACTIVE DIPHENYLPYRIMIDINE COMPOUND

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain the subject new compound as a rapidly responding liquid crystal compound manifesting a chemically more stable chiral smectic C phase within a wide temperature range at the neighbor of a room temperature, having a large spontaneous polarization, providing a low viscosity when added to a base liquid crystal. SOLUTION: This new compound is a compound of formula I [(m) is 1-16; (n) is 2-16; C* is an optically active asymmetric carbon], e.g. 2- 4-[(S)-3- fluorobutyl]phenyl}-5- 4-[(S)-2-fluoro-2-methylbutanolyloxy]phenyl}pyridine. The compound of formula I is prepared, for example, by subjecting an optically active phenol derivative of formula II to a condensation reaction with an optically active 2-fluoro-2-methylalkanoic acid of formula III. For example, 2- 4-[(S)-3-fluorobutyl]phenyl}-5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)pyrimidine or the like is cited as the derivative of formula II.