What does meso mean in organic chemistry ?

1 Answer
Ernest Z.
Sep 3, 2016

Meso means that a molecule has an internal plane of symmetry.

The word meso comes from Greek meso = middle.

In Organic Chemistry, a meso compound is a compound with two or more stereocentres that has an internal plane of symmetry.

This internal plane cuts the molecule into two halves, each of which is a mirror image of the other.

Here is an example of a meso compound with its internal mirror plane.

Meso
(From www.slideshare.net)

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