Carbonic acid ester compound, liquid crystalline compound, liquid crystalline composition, liquid crystalline element and method of light modulation

摘要

The liquid crystal element of the invention comprises a cell and two polarizing plates, each plate being provided on each outer side of the cell. The cell is composed of two transparent substrates so arranged as to face each other leaving a gap therebetween and a transparent electrode provided on the inner surface of each substrate, the gap being filled with a liquid crystal material. In the liquid crystal element, the two polarizing plates are so arranged that an angle formed by polarization planes of the polarizing plates is in the range of 70 DEG -110 DEG , and the cell filled with the liquid crystal material is arranged between the polarizing plates at an angle of from +10 DEG to - 10 DEG relative to the position of the cell at which the transmitted light becomes the darkest or the brightest. The liquid crystal material filled in the liquid crystal element is represented by the following formula: CHEM wherein symbols R, X, Y, A, B and R* have specific meanings. The liquid crystal element can be driven by applying an electric field thereto. The present invention also provides novel carboxylic acid ester compounds favorably employed as liquid crystal compounds used for the above-mentioned liquid crystal element and for light modulation methods.