  We study QCD-like four dimensional theories in the theoretically controlled
framework of deformation theory and/or twisted partition function on S*1 x R*3.
By using duality, we show that a class of one-flavor theories exhibit new
physical phenomena: discrete chiral symmetry breaking induced by the
condensation of topological disorder operators, and confinement and the
generation of mass gap due to new non-selfdual topological excitations. In the
R*4 limit, we argue that the mass gap disappears, the chiral symmetry breaking
vacua are of runaway type, and the theory flows to a CFT. We also study
mixed-representation theories and find abelian chiral symmetry breaking by
topological operators charged under abelian chiral symmetries. These are
reminiscent to, but distinct, from Seiberg-Witten theory with matter, where 4d
monopoles have non-abelian chiral charge. This examination also helps us refine
our recent bounds on the conformal window. In an Addendum, we also discuss
mixed vectorlike/chiral representation theories, obtain bounds on their
conformal windows, and compare with the all-order beta function results of
arXiv:0911.0931.
