A liquid crystal like difluoroterphenyl chiral dopant was synthesized to match the dimensions of a host chiral dopant mixture. The melting point of the chiral dopants was decreased by increasing the length of the alkyl chain. The melting point of the chiral dopants also decreased when fluorine was on the same ring as the ester i.e. at 2 '', 3 '' position. These dopants were formulated with terphenyl host mixture and liquid crystal properties were assessed. New dopants, when added to the host mixture, maintain SmA(1) but the SmC2 phase was reduced markedly. There was a decrease in spontaneous polarisation when fluorine was on the same ring as the ester i.e. at 2 '', 3 '' position. As the molecular weight of the chiral dopant increased (pentyl -> heptyl -> nonyl), spontaneous polarisation decreased. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.