An anisotropic compound of formula wherein R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C 1 - C 12 straight or branched alkyl chain, C 3 - C 12 alkenyl, C 1 - C 12 alkoxy, C 3 - C 12 alkenyloxy, - (CH 2) m - C(CH 3) 3, NO 2, CN, COR, -COOR, -OCOR, -CONR'R, -NR'COR, OCOOR, -OCONR'R, -NR'COOR, -F, -Cl, -CF 3 and -OCF 3; in which m is an integer between 0 and 12; R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an C 1-18 alkyl group, an C 3-18 alkenyl group with the double bond at 3-position or higher, - (CH 2) p - C - (CF 3) 3, CN and unsubstituted or substituted phenyl ring, wherein the substituent of the phenyl ring is selected from the group consisting of C 1 - C 6 straight or branched alkyl chain, C 1 - C 6 alkoxy, - C - (CH 3) 3, halogen, - CF 3, NO 2, CN, COR′′′, -COOR′′′, -OCOR′′′, -CONR"R′′′, -NR"COR′′′, OCOOR′′′, -OCONR"R′′′, -NR"COOR′′′, -F, -Cl, -CF 3 and -OCF 3; in which R" is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a lower alkyl group and a lower alkenyl group; R′′′ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an C 1-1B alkyl group and an C 3-18 alkenyl group with the double bond at 3-position or higher; p is an integer between 0 and 12; R' is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkenyl and lower alkoxy; n is 0, 1, 2 or 3; R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein one or more carbon atoms may be replaced by - O -, - COO -, - OCO -, - OOC -, - O O-, -N-, -NR a -, -CON-,-CO-R b, - NH-R c, wherein R a is a C 1 -C 12 alkyl group, R b and R c are independently from each other a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or an organic group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms that includes at least one aromatic ring, or a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms; R 3 is selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 12 alkyl chain, C 2 -C 12 alkenyl and - CN -; Ring C is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, biphenyl, naphthyl, cycloalkyl, bicycloalkyl, and m is an integer between 0 and 12. R 1 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C 1 - C 12 straight or branched alkyl chain, C 3 - C 12 alkenyl, C 1 - C 12 alkoxy, C 3 - C 12 alkenyloxy, - (CH 2) m - C(CH 3) 3, NO 2, CN, COR, -COOR, -OCOR, -CONR'R, -NR'COR, OCOOR, -OCONR'R, -NR'COOR, -F, -Cl, -CF 3 and -OCF 3; in which m is an integer between 0 and 12; R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an C 1-18 alkyl group, an C 3-18 alkenyl group with the double bond at 3-position or higher, - (CH 2) p - C - (CF 3) 3, CN and unsubstituted or substituted phenyl ring, wherein the substituent of the phenyl ring is selected from the group consisting of C 1 - C 6 straight or branched alkyl chain, C 1 - C 6 alkoxy, - C - (CH 3) 3, halogen, - CF 3, NO 2, CN, COR′′′, -COOR′′′, -OCOR′′′, -CONR"R′′′, -NR"COR′′′, OCOOR′′′, -OCONR"R′′′, -NR"COOR′′′, -F, -Cl, -CF 3 and -OCF 3; in which R" is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a lower alkyl group and a lower alkenyl group; R′′′ is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, an C 1-1B alkyl group and an C 3-18 alkenyl group with the double bond at 3-position or higher; p is an integer between 0 and 12; R' is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, lower alkyl, lower alkenyl and lower alkoxy; n is 0, 1, 2 or 3; R 2 is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, a substituted or unsubstituted alkynyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein one or more carbon atoms may be replaced by - O -, - COO -, - OCO -, - OOC -, - O O-, -N-, -NR a -, -CON-,-CO-R b, - NH-R c, wherein R a is a C 1 -C 12 alkyl group, R b and R c are independently from each other a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, or an organic group having 2 to 30 carbon atoms that includes at least one aromatic ring, or a substituted or unsubstituted alkenyl group having 2 to 20 carbon atoms, or a substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl group having 3 to 12 carbon atoms; R 3 is selected from the group consisting of C 1 -C 12 alkyl chain, C 2 -C 12 alkenyl and - CN -; Ring C is selected from the group consisting of phenyl, biphenyl, naphthyl, cycloalkyl, bicycloalkyl, and m is an integer between 0 and 12.