Antiferroelectric liquid crystal composition

An antiferroelectric liquid crystal composition consisting essentially of:

• 50 to 99 wt % of a liquid crystal composition having an antiferroelectric phase and containing at least one compound represented by the formula (II) shown below:
• ##STR22## wherein X' is --CH.sub.3, --CF.sub.3 or --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 ;
• R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are straight chain or branched alkyl radicals having 3 to 14 and 3 to 10 carbon atoms respectively;
• Y' represents a single bond, or --O--, --CO--, --COO-- or --OCO-- radical;
• and A.sup.4, A.sup.5 and A.sup.6 independently represent a six membered ring selected from the group consisting of benzene rings, cyclohexane rings, pyridine rings and pyrimidine rings, at least one hydrogen of which six membered ring may be replaced by a fluorine atom, chlorine atom, bromine atom, cyano group, nitro group, methyl group, ethyl group or methoxy group;
• and
• 1to 50 wt % of a compound represented by the formula (I) shown below:
• ##STR23## wherein the wt % is based on the total weight of the liquid crystal composition having the antiferroelectric phase and the compound represented by the formula (I);
• X is --CH.sub.3, --CF.sub.3 or --C.sub.2 H.sub.5 ;
• R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are straight chain or branched alkyl radicals having 3 to 14 and 3 to 10 carbon atoms respectively;
• Y represents a single bond, or --O--, --CO--, --COO-- or --OCO-- radical;
• Z represents --COO--, --C.tbd.C-- or --CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 -- radical;
• and A.sup.1, A.sup.2 and A.sup.3 independently represent a six membered ring selected from the group consisting of benzene rings, cyclohexane rings, pyridine rings and pyrimidine rings, at least one hydrogen of which six membered ring may be replaced by a fluorine atom, chlorine atom, bromine atom, cyano group, nitro group, methyl group, ethyl group or methoxy group.