| abstract |
The use of a mesogenic compound having a terminal end chain comprising carbon, oxygen, or sulphur, which has at least one pendent C1-4alkyl, C1-4alkoxy or a cycloalkyl ring, arranged no more than 6 atoms from the end of the chain either decreasing the melting point, increasing the clearing point, increasing the speed of switching and/or increasing the tilt angle of a liquid crystal mixture. Examples of such compounds are of formula (I) where M is a mesogenic core group, and X and Y are terminal groups, provided that at least one group X or Y is a group of sub-formula (i) where Z<1>, Z<2>, R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 R7, s, q, m and n are as defined in the specification. Novel compounds of formula (I) are also described and claimed. |