Two series of bent-shaped liquid crystals derived from 4,4′-diphenylmethane and 3,4′-biphenylene moieties have been prepared and studied. The research, focused on the effect of the terminal chains on the mesogenic properties of bent-core compounds, demonstrates that they can be used as a tool to control their liquid crystal behavior. Together with achiral and chiral alkoxy tails, thioalkoxy chains and unusual terminal structures on bent-core mesogens such as ...