Compound, liquid crystal composition, as well as liquid crystal display element, sensor, liquid crystal lens, optical communication equipment, and antenna each using the same

A liquid crystal composition comprising a compound represented by the general formula (i):

• wherein Ri1 denotes a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, or an alkyl group with 1 to 20 carbon atoms,
• at least one —CH2— group in the alkyl group is each independently optionally substituted with —O—, —S—, —CO—, and/or —CS—,
• at least one —CH2—CH2— group in the alkyl group is each independently optionally substituted with —CO—O—, —O—CO—, —CO—S—, —S—CO—, —CO—NH—, —NH—CO—, and/or —CH═CH—,
• at least one —CH2—CH2—CH2— group in the alkyl group is each independently optionally substituted with —O—CO—O—, and
• at least one hydrogen atom in the alkyl group is each independently optionally substituted with a halogen atom,
• provided that oxygen atoms are not directly bonded to each other,
• Ai1 denotes a 1,4-cyclohexylene group, wherein at least one —CH2— group in the nonadjacent —CH2— groups in this group are optionally substituted with —O— and/or —S—,
• Ai2, and Ai3 each independently denote a group selected from the group consisting of the groups (a), (b), (c), and (d):
• (a) a 1,4-cyclohexylene group, wherein at least one —CH2— group in the nonadjacent —CH2— groups in this group are optionally substituted with —O— and/or —S—,
• (b) a 1,4-phenylene group, wherein at least one —CH═ group in the nonadjacent —CH═ groups in this group are optionally substituted with —N═,
• (c) a 1,4-cyclohexenylene group, a bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-1,4-diyl group, a naphthalene-2,6-diyl group, a naphthalene-1,4-diyl group, a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, a 5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalene-1,4-diyl group, a decahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, an anthracene-2,6-diyl group, an anthracene-1,4-diyl group, an anthracene-9,10-diyl group, a phenanthrene-2,7-diyl group, wherein at least one —CH═ group in the nonadjacent —CH═ groups in the naphthalene-2,6-diyl group, the naphthalene-1,4-diyl group, the 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, the 5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalene-1,4-diyl group, the anthracene-2,6-diyl group, the anthracene-1,4-diyl group, the anthracene-9,10-diyl group, or the phenanthrene-2,7-diyl group are optionally substituted with —N═, and
• (d) a thiophene-2,5-diyl group, a benzothiophene-2,5-diyl group, a benzothiophene-2,6-diyl group, a dibenzothiophene-3,7-diyl group, a dibenzothiophene-2,6-diyl group, a thieno[3,2-b]thiophene-2,5-diyl group, wherein at least one —CH═ group in the nonadjacent —CH═ groups in this group are optionally substituted with —N═,
• at least one hydrogen atom in Ai1, Ai2, and Ai3 is each independently optionally substituted with a substituent Si1,
• the substituent Si1 denotes any one of a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, an iodine atom, a pentafluorosulfanyl group, a nitro group, a cyano group, an isocyano group, an amino group, a hydroxy group, a mercapto group, a methylamino group, a dimethylamino group, a diethylamino group, a diisopropylamino group, a trimethylsilyl group, a dimethylsilyl group, a thioisocyano group, and an alkyl group with 1 to 20 carbon atoms,
• at least one —CH2— group in the alkyl group is each independently optionally substituted with —O—, —S—, and/or —CO—,
• at least one —CH2—CH2— group in the alkyl group is each independently optionally substituted with —CH═CH—, —CF═CF—, —C≡C—, —CO—O—, —O—CO—, —CO—S—, —S—CO—, —CO—NH—, and/or —NH—CO—,
• at least one —CH2—CH2—CH2— group in the alkyl group is each independently optionally substituted with —O—CO—O—, and
• at least one hydrogen atom in the alkyl group is each independently optionally substituted with a halogen atom,
• provided that oxygen atoms are not directly bonded to each other,
• a plurality of substituents Si1, if present, may be the same or different,
• Zi1 denotes an alkylene group with 1 to 20 carbon atoms,
• at least one —CH2— group in the alkylene group is each independently optionally substituted with —O—, —CF2—, and/or —CO—, and
• at least one —CH2—CH2— group in the alkylene group is each independently optionally substituted with —CH2—CH(CH3)—, —CH(CH3)—CH2—, —CH═CH—, —CF═CF—, —CH═C(CH3)—, —C(CH3)═CH—, —CH═N—, —N═CH—, —N═N—, —C≡C—, —CO—O—, and/or —O—CO—,
• provided that oxygen atoms are not directly bonded to each other.