The invention relates to a synthesis method of neotame. The method comprises the following steps: (1) adding aspartame and 3,3-dimethyl-butyl aldehyde to an organic solvent in a vacuum state, reacting at the reaction temperature of 20-50 DEG C for 5-24 hours, carrying out concentration and separation at 0-50 DEG C after reaction is ended, concentrating to obtain white paste, adding deionized water to devitrify, thus obtaining a neotame intermediate imine in a centrifuging manner; (2) adding imine and an organic solvent to a hydrogenation reactor, introducing hydrogen until the pressure is 0.1-0.5MPa, adding a catalyst, reacting at the temperature of 35-40 DEG C for 5-30 hours, filtering and removing the catalyst, concentrating the filtrate and removing an organic solvent, and recrystallizing and purifying by water, methanol or ethanol, so as to obtain the neotame. According to the synthesis method, the defects in the prior art are overcome, high-purity imine is generated, the activity of the catalyst is reduced, the selectivity of the catalyst on the imine is increased, the service life of the catalyst is prolonged, the reaction impurity is reduced, and the product purity is improved.