In order to investigate the chiral effect of cholesteryl pendant groups on the induction of the cholesterol phase, a new cholesteryl-containing liquid crystalline monomer was synthesized and copolymerized with an achiral comonomer in various molar ratios. The layer-like arrangement of the smectic mesophase was different monomeric compositions of copolymers was investigated using an X-ray diffraction analysed The cholesteric liquid phase was induced by the chiral segments; the dependence of the reciprocal centromere reflection wavelength on the mole fraction of the chiral monomer for copolymers was investigated. The paper demonstrates the effect of chiral pendant groups on the induction of the cholesteric phase a layered molecular arrangement of side-chain liquid crystalline polymers. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.