Question

Which of the following is a meso compound?

A.

B.

C.

D.

Answer 1

Hint: “A meso compound should contain two or more identical substituted stereo centers. Also, it has an internal symmetry plane that divides the compound in half. These two halves reflect each other by the internal mirror”.

Complete step by step answer:

• A meso compound should possess two or more substituted stereo centers and the compound should have the property of internal plane of symmetry means an imaginary plane should divide the compounds into two halves of identical structures nothing but mirror images.

• Coming to option A, the compound has two stereo centers but does not possess the property of internal plane of symmetry.

          ![](https://www.vedantu.com/question-sets/c0eb9035-8935-46ea-85a3-d731ec9ca0f85471664063567868736.png)  
  

• Coming to option B, the compound has two stereocenters and an imaginary plane dividing the molecule into two halves which are mirror images. So, option B is the correct answer.

          ![](https://www.vedantu.com/question-sets/229ccd57-2ec6-47c7-8a7c-1ffa16b13e852421247666773418458.png)  
  

• Coming to option C, the compound has two stereo centers but does not possess the property of internal plane of symmetry.

• Coming to option D, the compound has two stereo centers but does not possess the property of internal plane of symmetry.

• So, the correct answer is B.

Note: Don’t be confused with meso, stereo center and internal plane of symmetry.
All compounds that have stereocenters won’t be meso compounds, the compounds which have more than two stereocenters and internal plane of symmetry are called meso compounds.