An antiferroelectric liquid crystal compound represented by the following general formula (I): <IMAGE> (I) wherein R1 represents an alkyl group having 6 to 16 carbon atoms; R2 represents a straight chain alkyl group having 3 to 8 carbon atoms or a branched alkyl group having 4 to 10 carbon atoms; and * means an asymmetric carbon atom, and an antiferroelectric liquid crystal composition comprising at least one liquid crystal compound as defined above. The optically active compound of the present invention is highly miscible with a number of known antiferroelectric liquid crystal compounds and thus capable of providing liquid crystal materials having improved temperature properties. A liquid crystal composition containing the optically active compound of the present invention is applicable to electro-optical devices with the use of antiferroelectric liquid crystals.
Antiferroelectric liquid crystal compound and antiferroelectric liquid crystal composition containing the same