Fused ring compound

A fused ring compound represented by a general formula (I)

• (wherein, R represents an alkyl group or alkoxyl group of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group of 2 to 16 carbon atoms, an alkenyloxy group of 3 to 16 carbon atoms, or an alkyl group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms substituted with an alkoxyl group of 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and said groups may be substituted with a halogen, and in cases in which an asymmetric carbon arises due to substitution or branching, may be either one of optically active and a racemic mixture;
• ring C represents any one of a trans-1,4-cyclohexylene group in which one CH2 structure within said group or two or more non-adjacent CH2 structures within said group may be replaced with —O— and/or —S—, a 1,4-phenylene group in which one CH structure within said group or two or more non-adjacent CH structures within said group may be replaced with —N═, a 1,4-cyclohexenylene group, a 1,4-bicyclo(2.2.2)octylene group, a piperidine-1,4-diyl group, a naphthalene-2,6-diyl group, a trans-decahydronaphthalene-trans-2,6-diyl group, and a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene-2,6-diyl group, and said groups may be substituted with either one of a cyano group and a halogen;
• ring B represents any one of general formulas (I-1) to (I-10):
• (wherein, X1, X3, X4, X5, X6, X8, X9 and X10 each represent, independently, any one of a hydrogen atom, a chlorine atom and a fluorine atom, provided that conditions described below are satisfied:
• a. in (I-1), in a case in which at least one of X3, X4, X5 and X6 represents a fluorine atom, and a remainder represent hydrogen atoms, then at least one of X1, X8, X9 and X10 represents either one of a chlorine atom and a fluorine atom,
• b. in (I-1), in a case in which at least one of X1, X8, X9 and X10 represents a fluorine atom, and a remainder represent hydrogen atoms, then at least one of X3, X4, X5 and X6 represents either one of a chlorine atom and a fluorine atom,
• c. in (I-2), ring B represents any one of general formulas as follows:
• and in place of (I-3), ring B represents any one of general formulas as follows:
• L2 represents any one of —CH2CH2—, —C≡C—, —(CH2)4—, —CF═CF—, —OCH2—, —CH2O—, —OCF2—, —CF2O—, —CO2—, —OCO—, —CH═N—N═CH—, —CH═CH—CH2—CH2—, —CH2—CH2—CH═CH— and a single bond;
• n represents 0 or 1;
• Y represents any one of a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a trifluoromethoxy group, a difluoromethoxy group, a trifluoromethyl group, a 3,3,3-trifluoroethoxy group, a cyano group, a straight chain alkyl group of 1 to 16 carbon atoms, a straight chain alkenyl group of 2 to 16 carbon atoms, a straight chain alkyloxy group of 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and a straight chain alkenyloxy group of 2 to 16 carbon atoms, provided that cases described below are excluded:
• i. a case in which ring B represents (I-2), n represents 0, R represents an alkyl group and Y represents an alkyl group,
• ii. a case in which ring B represents (I-3), n represents 0, R represents an alkyl group and Y represents an alkoxy group,
• iii. a case in which ring B represents (I-4), n represents 0, R represents an alkyl group and Y represents either one of an alkyl group and a cyano group,
• iv. a case in which ring B represents (I-8), n represents 0, R represents an alkyl group and Y represents an alkyl group,
• v. a case in which ring B represents (I-4), n represents 1, ring C represents a 1,4-phenylene group, L2 represents —CO2—, R represents an alkyl group and Y represents any one of an alkyl group, an alkoxy group and a cyano group,
• vi. a case in which ring B represents (I-4), n represents 1, ring C represents a 1,4-phenylene group, L2 represents —OCO—, R represents an alkyl group and Y represents an alkoxy group,
• vii. a case in which ring B represents (I-2), n represents 1, ring C represents a 1,4-cyclohexylene group, L2 represents —CO2—, R represents an alkyl group and Y represents an alkyl group,
• viii. a case in which ring B represents (I-1), and X9 and X10 represent fluorine atoms, and
• ix. a case in which ring B represents (I-3), and X3, X4, X5 and X6 simultaneously represent fluorine atoms, and
• x. a case in which ring B represents (I-1), Y does not represent a fluorine atom when n=0, X1, X3, X4=F and R=Me).