Cyanoalkyl difluoro-terphenyl-carboxylate chiral dopants

► Difluoroterphenyl chiral dopants were synthesized to match the dimensions of a host chiral dopant mixture. ► The melting point of chiral dopants decreased by increasing the length of alkyl chain. ► Melting point of chiral dopants also decreased when fluorine was on the same ring as the ester i.e. at 2″, 3″ position. ► Ferroelectric properties of dopant were studied. ► As the molecular weight of chiral dopant increased (pentyl → heptyl → nonyl), spontaneous polarisation decreased.