内消旋化合物是含有超过两个手性碳原子但没有旋光性的化合物。例如，酒石酸的一种异构体就是内消旋化合物，这是由于其分子有对称平面。一般情况下，如果分子含有超过两个手性碳原子，且有对称平面，则该分子一定是内消旋化合物。但是，没有对称平面且含有超过两个手性碳原子的分子仍有可能是内消旋化合物。

另一个例子是2,3-二溴丁烷：

A meso compound or meso isomer is a non-optically active member of a set of stereoisomers, at least two of which are optically active. This means that despite containing two or more stereogenic centers, the molecule is not chiral. A meso compound is "superposable" on its mirror image (not to be confused with superimposable, as any two objects can be superimposed over one another regardless of whether they are the same. If two objects can be superposed, all aspects of the objects coincide) and it does not produce a "(+)" or "(-)" reading when analyzed with a polarimeter.