Isothiocyanato tolane derivatives of formula I-1 ##STR00001##
and liquid-crystalline media comprising same are suitable for use in high-frequency components, especially microwave components for high-frequency devices, such as devices for shifting the phase of microwaves, in particular for microwave phased-array antennas.

The present invention relates to aromatic isothiocyanates of formula U ##STR00001##
as defined in claim 1, to liquid-crystalline media comprising one or more compounds of formula U and to high-frequency components comprising these media, especially microwave components for high-frequency devices, such as devices for shifting the phase of microwaves, tunable filters, tunable metamaterial structures, and electronic beam steering antennas, e.g. phased array antennas.

The present invention relates to heteroaromatic isothiocyanates of formula N

##STR00001##

as defined in claim 1, to liquid-crystalline media comprising one or more compounds of formula N and to high-frequency components comprising these media, especially microwave components for high-frequency devices, such as devices for shifting the phase of microwaves, tunable filters, tunable metamaterial structures, and electronic beam steering antennas, e.g. phased array antennas.

The present invention relates to heteroaromatic isothiocyanates of formula N

##STR00001##

as defined in claim 1, to liquid-crystalline media comprising one or more compounds of formula N and to high-frequency components comprising these media, especially microwave components for high-frequency devices, such as devices for shifting the phase of microwaves, tunable filters, tunable metamaterial structures, and electronic beam steering antennas, e.g. phased array antennas.

The present invention relates to liquid-crystalline media comprising one or more compounds of formula DFS

##STR00001##

in which the groups and parameters occurring have the meanings indicated in claim 1, to high-frequency components comprising same, especially microwave components for high-frequency devices, such as devices for shifting the phase of microwaves, in particular for microwave phased-array antennas. The present invention further relates to novel mesogenic compounds.

Liquid-crystalline media comprising one or more compounds of formula D

##STR00001##

and one or more compounds selected from the group of compounds of formulae I, II and III,

##STR00002##

in which the occurring groups and parameters have the meanings defined in claim 1, and to high-frequency components comprising these media, especially microwave components for high-frequency devices, such as devices for shifting the phase of microwaves, tunable filters, tunable metamaterial structures, and electronic beam steering antennas (e.g. phased array antennas).

Liquid-crystalline media containing one or more compounds of formula T

##STR00001##

and one or more compounds of formulae I, II and/or III,

##STR00002##

high-frequency components containing these media, especially microwave components for high-frequency devices, such as devices for shifting the phase of microwaves, tunable filters, tunable metamaterial structures, and electronic beam steering antennas, e.g., phased array antennas.

A liquid crystal composition that satisfies a plurality of characteristics in characteristics such as a high maximum temperature of a nematic phase, a low minimum temperature of the nematic phase, small viscosity, large optical anisotropy, large dielectric anisotropy (1 kHz and 20 GHz), large specific resistance, high stability to ultraviolet light and high stability to heat, and that can be used in the form of a millimeter wave phase or microwave phase antenna.

The liquid crystal composition contains at least two specific compounds having the large optical anisotropy and the large dielectric anisotropy as a first component, and a specific compound having a wide nematic phase and capable of adjusting suitable optical anisotropy as a second component, and may contain such a component compound that can finely control the characteristics of the composition.

A liquid crystal cell according to the present invention includes a TFT board including a first dielectric substrate, TFTs supported by the first dielectric substrate, and patch electrodes, a slot board including a second dielectric substrate and a slot electrode having slots and supported by the second dielectric substrate, and a liquid crystal layer LC between the TFT board and the slot board, which are positioned with the patch electrodes and the slot electrode facing each other, and a sealant disposed between the TFT board and the slot board and surrounding the liquid crystal layer. The liquid crystal layer LC includes a liquid crystal compound containing an isothiocyanate group. The sealant includes an ene-thiol compound in which an ene compound and a thiol compound are bonded by using a radical.

The present invention relates to liquid-crystalline media comprising one or more compounds of formula Q

##STR00001##

and one or more compounds selected from the group of compounds of formulae T, U and I

##STR00002##

wherein the occurring groups and parameters have the meaning indicated in claim 1. The present invention further relates to the use of these liquid-crystal media, in particular in components for high-frequency technology, and to components of this type which contain media according to the invention, and to the production and use of these components. The components according to the invention are suitable, in particular, as phase shifters in the microwave and millimetre wave region, for microwave and millimetre wave array antennae and very particularly for so-called tunable reflectarrays.