Two chiral liquid crystalline compounds have been investigated, namely 4-(1-methylheptyloxycarbonyl) phenyl-4'nonylbiphenyl-4carboxylate (MHPNBC), 3-(2-fluor-octyloxy)-6-(4octyl-phenyl) pyridine (FOOPP) to study the SmA*-SmC* transition. For both substances strong electroclinic effect is observed in the SmA* phase what indicates that it is the so-called de Vries SmA* phase. To study the paralectric-ferroelectric de Vries type transition electrooptic, dielectric as well as SAXS methods have been applied. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.