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Our Theory
Intro
 Aspartame is the artificial sweetener used in most diet drinks and other low calorie products . It is 200 times as sweet as table sugar ( sucrose ) but contains only 4 calories per gram .
 Quotation taken from the Third Edition of Organic Chemistry - Structure and Function by K . Peter C Vollhardt and Neil E . Schore .
 The acceptable daily intake is 40mg/kg .
 The three main components in aspartame are :
 aspartic acid
 phenylalanine
 methanol
The structure of aspartame is as follows :
*This diagram was copied from the homepage of Dr. R.J. Cox.
Synthesis ( The Strecker Synthesis )
*This diagram was copied from the home page of Dr. R. J. Cox.
 The product of the Strecker Synthesis is a racemic mixture of phenylalanine , which is one of the components of Aspartame .
 The racemic mixture is composed of both L and D phenylalanine . Only L phenylalanine is used to make Aspartame . Therefore , the two forms must be separated .
 This can be done by reacting the racemic mixture with Ac 2O and NaOH. The product of this reaction is then treated with Porcine Kidney Acylase and an organic extraction with H 3O + is then carried out .
 The L form of phenylalanine will be found in the water layer and the D form will be found in the organic layer .
 The acid group on phenylalanine must now be converted into an ester. This is done by treatment of L phenylalanine with MeOH and HCl .
 Finally , Aspartame can be made by reaction of the compound created above with Aspartic acid .
 The structure of aspartic acid can be found .
 The amine group on Aspartic acid must be protected with Cbz and the acid group nearest the amine must be protected with benzyl as they are a reactive sites that we do not wish to react with the pheylalanine .
 The other acid group must then be activated with BOP
 BOP is removed as phenlyalanine is added, but the protecting groups remain . Cbz is removed by a reaction of H 2/PtO 2 with MeOH and CHCl 3 and benzyl is removed by reation of H 2/Pd/C and MeOH and CHCl 3 .
 Aspartame has now been made .
Protecting And Activating Group
 A protecting group is used when there are two or more reactive sites present in a molecule , but only one is required to react.
 The active sites that are not wished to react are protected with a protecting group . Typical protecting groups for amines are:
 Benzyl .
 Cbz - Carbobenzyloxy .
 BOC - Butyloxy Carbonyl .
 Fmoc - Fluorenylmethoxy Carbamate .
 Typical protecting groups for carboxylates are Methyl ester , t-Butyl ester and Benzyl ester .
 An activating group is used to make a reactive site even more reactive. Typical activating groups for carboxylates are DCC with DMAP , EDCI with DMAP and BOP .
Toxicity Effects of Aspartame Use
Selection of Health Effects from Short-term and/or Long-Term Use
Note: It often takes at least sixty days without *any* aspartame or NutraSweet to see a significant improvement. Check all labels very carefully (including vitamins and pharmaceuticals). Look for the word "aspartame" on the label and avoid it. (Also, it is a good idea to avoid "acesulfame-k" or "sunette.") Finally, avoid getting nutrition information from junk food industry PR organizations such as IFIC or organizations that accept large sums of money from the junk and chemical food industry such as the American Dietetic Association.
 Seizures and Convulsions
 Dizziness
 Tremors
 Migraines and Severe Headaches (Trigger or Cause From Chronic Intake)
 Memory Loss (common nutrasweet toxicity effects)
 Slurring of Speech
 Confusion
 Numbness or Tingling of Extremities
 Chronic Fatigue
 Depression
 Insomnia
 Irritability
 Panic Attacks (common aspartame toxicity reaction)
 Marked Personality Changes
 Phobias
 Rapid Heart Beat, Tachycardia (another frequent nutrasweet reaction)
 Asthmatic Reactions
 Chest Pains
 Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
 Nausea or Vomitting
 Diarrhea
 Abdominal Pain
 Swallowing Pain
 Itching
 Hives (Urticaria)
 Other Allergic-Like Reactions
 Blood Sugar Control Problems (Hypoglycemia or Hyperglycemia)
 Menstrual Problems or Changes
 Impotency and Sexual Problems
 Craving for Food
 Weight Gain
 Hair Loss (Baldness) or Thinning of Hair
 Burning Urination & Other Urination Problems
 Excessive Thirst or Hunger
 Bloating, Edema (Fluid Retention)
 Infection Susceptibility
 Joint Pains
 Brain Cancer (Pre-approval studies in animals)
 Death
Aspartame Disease Mimmicks Symptoms or Worsens the Following Diseases
 Fibromyalgia
 Arthritis
 Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
 Parkinson's Disease
 Lupus
 Multiple Chemical Sensitivities (MCS)
 Diabetes and Diabetic Complications
 Epilepsy
 Alzheimer's Disease
 Birth Defects
 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
 Lymphoma
 Lyme Disease
 Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
 Panic Disorder
Depression and other Psychological Disorders
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