To provide: a polymer liquid crystal that has high crack resistance and is applicable to an optical element coping with light within a wide wavelength range; a novel acrylic acid derivative compound used therefor; and a liquid crystalline composition comprising the same.

The acrylic acid derivative compound is one bearing two polymerizable functional groups, wherein at least one polymerizable functional group is directly bonded to condensed benzene ring groups, W1 and W2, and is represented by the formula: CH2=CR1-COO-W1-(J1-E1)p-(J2-E2)q-(J3-E3-)r-(J4-E4)s-J5-(W2)t-OCO-CR2=CH2. A compound represented by the structural formula in the figure can be exemplified.