Generation of a chiral mesophase by achiral molecules: Absolute chiral induction in the smectic C phase of 4-octyloxyphenyl 4-octyloxybenzoate

A study reports the first example in which an absolute chiral induction with simple rodlike molecules was observed in mesophase. The results suggest that conformational chirality in the phenyl ester moiety is the origin of the generation of the chiral smectic phase.