Functional Groups

Step 1: Understand the structure of Aspartame
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener derived from the combination of two amino acids:

• Aspartic acid
• Phenylalanine methyl ester

Step 2: Identify the functional groups present
From the chemical structure of Aspartame, the following groups are clearly present:

• Ester group – from the methyl ester portion of phenylalanine
• Amide group – formed from the peptide bond (–CONH–)
• Carboxylic acid group – present in aspartic acid

Step 3: Confirm the missing group
Aspartame does not contain an aldehyde group (–CHO). The aldehyde functional group is characteristic of compounds like formaldehyde or glucose, and is absent in the structure of Aspartame.