A NEW SECOIRIDOID FROM OLIVE WASTEWATERS

The structure of a new compound 5, isolated from the juice of ripe bla ck olives (Olea europaea, cv. Leccino), was elucidated. In unripe gree n olives oleuropein [1] is present as the major o-diphenolic compound, while in ripe olives demethyloleuropein [6] predominates. Both these glucosides disappear from olive juice, as they are hydrolyzed by nativ e beta-glucosidases. Demethyloleuropein aglycone M rapidly eliminated the carboxyl group, giving 5. Acid methanolysis of 5 gives 8, which su pports the assigned structure.