A range of ortho-dichloroterphenyls has been prepared and evaluated for their transition temperatures and physical properties. The analogous ortho difluoro-substituted materials have been very successful as ferroelectric host materials. It was expected that the dichloro-substituted compounds would provide a greater lateral dipole and confer of dielectric biaxiality. State of the art synthetic techniques were used. For example, low-temperature ortho directed metallations provided arylboronic acids which were used in palladium-catalysed cross-coupling reactions to provide final materials. Materials with low melting points that exhibit the S-C phase have been produced.