Nematic liquid-crystalline phases

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of trifluorotoluene derivatives of the formula I ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 is alkyl having 1 to 12 carbon atoms in which, in addition, one or more non-neighboring CH.sub.2 groups may be replaced by --O--, --CO--, --O--CO--, --CO--O--, --O--CO--O--, --CH-halogen, --CH--CN-and/or --CH=CH--, A.sup.1 and A.sup.2, in each case independently of one another, are 1,4-phenylene in which, in addition, one or more CH groups may be replaced by N, trans-1,4-cyclohexylene in which, in addition, one or two non-neighboring CH.sub.2 groups may be replaced by --O--and/or --S--, or 1,4-bicyclo(2,2,2)octylene, each of which is unsubstituted or monosubstituted or poly-substituted by halogen, nitrile and/or CH.sub.3, Z.sup.1 and Z.sup.2, in each case independently of one another, are --CO--O--, --O--CO--, --CH.sub.2 O--, --OCH.sub.2 --, --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 -- or a single bond, and n is 0 or 1, as components of chiral tilted smectic phases.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.