Liquid crystal composition and liquid crystal display element

A liquid crystal composition with a negative dielectric anisotropy, comprising at least one compound selected from the group of compounds represented by the following formula (1) as a first component, and at least one compound selected from the group of compounds represented by the following formulas (2-1) to (2-3) and (3-1) to (3-4) as a second component:

• wherein R1 is alkyl or alkenyl;
• R2 is alkyl, alkenyl, or alkoxy;
• R3 is alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, or —COO—R4, in which R4 is alkyl;
• R5 is alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, or alkoxymethyl;
• Z1 and Z2 are independently a single bond, —CH2O—, —OCH2—, —(CH2)2—, —(CH2)4—, —CF2O—, —OCF2—, —C2H4CF2O—, —C2H4OCF2—, —CF2OC2H4—, or —OCF2C4—;
• Z3 is a single bond or —COO—;
• A1 is 1,4-cyclohexylene or 1,4-phenylene;
• A2 and A3 are independently 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, 1,4-phenylene in which any hydrogen may be replaced by fluorine, or 2-difluoromethyl-3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene;
• A4 is 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, or 1,4-phenylene in which a hydrogen is replaced by a fluorine;
• A5 is 1,4-phenylene or 1,4-phenylene in which a hydrogen is replaced by a fluorine;
• A6 is 2-fluoro-1,4-phenylene;
• n is 0 or 1;
• in the formula (1), when n is 0, A2 is 2-difluoromethyl-3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene, and Z2 is a single bond;
• and in the formula (1), when n is 1, one of A2 and A3 is 2-difluoromethyl-3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene, and one of Z1 and Z2 is a single bond,
• wherein the first component is at least one compound selected from the group of compounds represented by the following formulas (1-1) to (1-12):
• R1-A1-Z4-A7-(A8)n-R2 (1-1)
• R1-A1-Z5-A7-(A8)n-R2 (1-2)
• R1-A1-Z6-A7-(A8)n-R2 (1-3)
• R1-A1-Z4-A8-A7-R2 (1-4)
• R1-A1-Z5-A8-A7-R2 (1-5)
• R1-A1-Z6-A8-A7-R2 (1-6)
• R1-A1-A8-Z4-A7-R2 (1-7)
• R1-A1-A8-Z5-A7-R2 (1-8)
• R1-A1-A8-Z6-A7-R2 (1-9)
• R1-A1-A7-Z4-A8-R2 (1-10)
• R1-A1-A7-Z5-A8-R2 (1-11)
• R1-A1-A7-Z6-A8-R2 (1-12)
• wherein R1 is alkyl or alkenyl;
• R2 is alkyl, alkenyl, or alkoxy;
• Z4 is a single bond, —CH2O—, or —OCH2—;
• Z5 is —(CH2)2— or —(CH2)4—;
• Z6 is —CF2O—, —OCF2—, —C2H4CF2O—, —C2H4OCF2—, —CF2OC2H4—, or —OCF2C2H4—;
• A1 is 1,4-cyclohexylene or 1,4-phenylene;
• A7 is 1,4-phenylene in which a hydrogen is replaced by a fluorine, or 2-difluoromethyl-3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene;
• A8 is 1,4-cyclohexylene, 1,4-phenylene, 1,4-phenylene in which a hydrogen is replaced by a fluorine, or 2-difluoromethyl-3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene;
• one of A7 and A8 is 2-difluoromethyl-3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene;
• n is 0 or 1;
• and in the formulas (1-1) to (1-3), when n is 0, A7 is 2-difluoromethyl-3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene, and
• wherein, in the formula (1-1), Z4 is a single bond, A1 is 1,4-cyclohexylene, A7 is 2-difiuoromethyl-3-fluoro-1,4-phenylene, and n is O.