Recently discovered chiral properties of several bent-core smectic liquid crystal phases are summarized and discussed in detail under the assumption that typical bent-core molecules may exist in chiral conformational states and are achiral only on average. Results of atomistic computer simulations are presented which indicate the existence of strongly chiral conformational states for typical bent-core mesogens. A theory is developed which describes a possible shift of equilibrium between left- and right-handed conformations in a macroscopically chiral phase. The theory describes a chirality induction in the $B2$ bent-core phase and a reduction of the helical pitch in cholesteric and chiral Sm$C*$ phases doped with bent-core molecules. Finally, the possibility of spontaneous deracemization in bent-core smectic phases is discussed in detail.

• Received 3 August 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.71.021706