Compound having alkoxy group or alkoxyalkyl group, and saturated six-membered ring, liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal display device

A liquid crystal composition that contains a compound represented by formula (1) and a chiral agent, and develops an optically isotropic liquid crystal phase:

• wherein, in formula (1),
• R1 is alkyl having 1 to 12 carbons or alkenyl having 2 to 12 carbons, and in the alkyl and the alkenyl, at least one piece of —CH2— may be replaced by —O—, however, a case where two pieces of —O— are adjacent to each other is excluded, and at least one piece of hydrogen may be replaced by fluorine;
• ring A1, ring A2 and ring A3 are independently represented by a formula described below;
• wherein, X1 and X2 are independently —O—, —S— or —CH2—, and a case where both X1 and X2 are —CH2— is excluded;
• Y1 is hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, —C≡N, —N═C═S, —CH2F, —CHF2, —CF3, —OCH2F, —OCHF2, —OCF3, —OCF2CHF2, —OCF2CHFCF3, —CH═CHF, —CH═CF2, —CF═CHF, —CH═CHCF3, —OCH═CF2, —OCF═CF2, —OCH═CHCF3, alkyl having 1 to 7 carbons or alkenyl having 2 to 7 carbons, and in the alkyl and the alkenyl, at least one piece of —CH2— may be replaced by —O—;
• Z1 and Z3 are independently a single bond, —CH2CH2—, —CH2O—, —CF2O—, —OCF2—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CH═CH— or —C≡C—;
• Z2 is a single bond, —CF2O— or —COO—;
• L1 and L2 are independently hydrogen or halogen;
• a is 0, 1, 2 or 3;
• and
• n1 and n2 are independently 0, 1 or 2, and an expression:
• n1+n2≦2 holds;
• and
• when n1+n2=0 and Z2 is —CF2O—, Y1 is hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, —C≡N, —N═C═S, —CH2F, —CHF2, —CF3, —OCH2F, —OCHF2, —OCF3, —OCF2CHF2, —OCF2CHFCF3, —CH═CHF, —CH═CF2, —CF═CHF, —CH═CHCF3, —OCH═CF2, —OCF═CF2, —OCH═CHCF3, alkyl having 1 to 7 carbons or alkenyl having 2 to 7 carbons, and in the alkyl and the alkenyl, at least one piece of —CH2— may be replaced by —O—.

A compound, represented by formula (1):

• wherein, in formula (1),
• R1 is alkyl having 1 to 12 carbons or alkenyl having 2 to 12 carbons, and in the alkyl and the alkenyl, at least one piece of —CH2— may be replaced by —O—, however, a case where two pieces of —O— are adjacent to each other is excluded, and at least one piece of hydrogen may be replaced by fluorine;
• ring A1, ring A2 and ring A3 are independently represented by a formula described below;
• wherein, X1 and X2 are independently —O—, —S— or —CH2—, and a case where both X1 and X2 are —CH2— is excluded;
• Y1 is hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, —C≡N, —N═C═S, —CH2F, —CHF2, —CF3, —OCH2F, —OCHF2, —OCF3, —OCF2CHF2, —OCF2CHFCF3, —CH═CHF, —CH═CF2, —CF═CHF, —CH═CHCF3, —OCH═CF2, —OCF═CF2, —OCH═CHCF3, alkyl having 1 to 7 carbons or alkenyl having 2 to 7 carbons, and in the alkyl and the alkenyl, at least one piece of —CH2— may be replaced by —O—;
• Z1 and Z3 are independently a single bond, —CH2CH2—, —CH2O—, —CF2O—, —OCF2—, —COO—, —OCO—, —CH═CH— or —C≡C—;
• Z2 is a single bond, —CF2O— or —COO—;
• L1 and L2 are independently hydrogen or halogen;
• a is 0, 1, 2 or 3;
• and
• n1 and n2 are independently 0, 1 or 2, an expression:
• n1+n2≦2 holds;
• and
• when n1+n2=0 and Z2 is —CF2O—, Y1 is hydrogen, fluorine, chlorine, —CH2F, —CHF2, —CF3, —OCH2F, —OCHF2, —OCF3, —OCF2CHF2, —OCF2CHFCF3, —CH═CHF, —CH═CF2, —CF═CHF, —CH═CHCF3, —OCF═CF2, —OCH═CHCF3, alkyl having 1 to 7 carbons or alkenyl having 2 to 7 carbons, and in the alkyl and the alkenyl, at least one piece of —CH2— may be replaced by —O—.