A series of copolymers, comp rising a chiral mesogen ((S)-(-) -4-methoxyphenyl-4’-(2-acryloyloxy)propoxy benzoate) and a non-chiral mesoenic comonomer (4-cyanophenyl-4’-(6-acryloyloxy) benzoate), was prepared, and each sample characterized physically and optically. The copolymers were found to exhibit a chiral nematic phase when the mole fraction of the chiral monomer in the copolymer was greater than 0.2. Films of these samples selectively reflect light of wavelength lambda(R) which is inversely proportional to the mole fraction of chiral monomer in the copolymer. The values of lambda(R) were determined at a fixed reduced temperature T* by differential absorption spectrometry and by specular reflectivity measurements. Plots of (1/lambda(R)) against mole fraction of the chiral mesogen in the copolymer gave values of the helical twisting power of 5 x 10(-3) mm(-3), which is lower than observed for cholesterol-containing polymers but comparable to or greater than values reported for side-chain liquid crystal polymers with alternative chiral centres.