Abstract I. Introduction 111 II. Stable Isotopes 112 III. CSIA 112 IV. CSIA of Organic Compounds from Carbonaceous Chondrites 115 A. Carbon 115 B. Nitrogen 118 C. Sulfur 118 D. Hydrogen 118 V. History of Meteoritic Organic Matter 118 Acknowledgments 118 References 118 The carbonaceous chondrite meteorites contain evidence of the formation of the solar system, part of which is present within organic matter. In recent years, compound‐specific isotope analysis (CSIA) has been useful in deciphering this complex record. The current published data set provides an insight into the source environments and reaction mechanisms that have contributed to the final state of the organic constituents in carbonaceous chondrites. This review summarises the CSIA data and related key interpretations. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Mass Spec Rev 20:111–120, 2001