Aspartame is the methyl ester of the dipeptide formed from one molecule each of aspartic acid (C4H7NO4) and phenylalanine (C9H11NO2). Its molecular formula is

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Aspartame is the methyl ester of the dipeptide formed from one molecule each of aspartic acid ( $C X_{4} H X_{7} NO X_{4}$ ) and phenylalanine ( $C X_{9} H X_{11} NO X_{2}$ ). Its molecular formula is

Amide bond formation removes one

H X_{2} O

C X_{4} H X_{7} NO X_{4} + C X_{9} H X_{11} NO X_{2} - H X_{2} O = C X_{13} H X_{16} N X_{2} O X_{5}

. Methyl esterification with

CH X_{3} OH

removes another

H X_{2} O

, adding

CH X_{2}

overall, giving

C X_{14} H X_{18} N X_{2} O X_{5}

C X_{13} H X_{16} N X_{2} O X_{5}

is the free dipeptide and

C X_{13} H X_{18} N X_{2} O X_{6}

is the sum of the two amino acids.