How many - COOH groups are present in Aspartic acid

Options

A. 0
B. 1
C. 2
D. 3

Answer

To determine how many -COOH (carboxylic acid) groups are present in aspartic acid, we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understand the Structure of Aspartic Acid**:
Aspartic acid is an amino acid with the chemical formula C4H7NO4. It contains both an amino group (-NH2) and carboxylic acid groups (-COOH).

2. **Draw the Structure**:
The structure of aspartic acid can be represented as:
```
H O
\ ||
C - OH
/ \
H2N C - OH
|
CH2
```
In this structure, you can see the presence of carboxylic acid groups.

3. **Identify the -COOH Groups**:
From the structure, we can identify the -COOH groups. Each -COOH group consists of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom (C=O) and single-bonded to a hydroxyl group (-OH).

4. **Count the -COOH Groups**:
In the structure of aspartic acid, there are two distinct -COOH groups:
- The first one is attached to the carbon adjacent to the amino group.
- The second one is attached to the carbon at the end of the molecule.

5. **Conclusion**:
Therefore, aspartic acid contains **two -COOH groups**.

### Answer:
Aspartic acid has **2 -COOH groups**.

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