Abstract : From group theoretical arguments, we demonstrate that the effective molecular symmetry is reduced
in a chiral liquid crystalline phase. This reduction changes the location of the principal axes of the
orientational order matrices for four molecular point groups, namely Cs , C2v , S4 , and D2d . These
symmetries correspond to compounds which have prochiral faces, groups, or directions. The change
in effective molecular symmetry can be detected by NMR spectroscopy, and this is illustrated by the
example of acenaphthene dissolved in a chiral nematic solvent.
