What does meso mean in organic chemistry ?
1 Answer
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.
(From www.slideshare.net)
