Chicle Gum from sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) as a Renewable Resource for Metathesis Transformations

In this study, we report on for the first time the self-metathesis of the chicle gum and cross-metathesis of the chicle gum rubber isolated from the gummy latex of sapodilla (Manilkara zapota) with orange oil, β-pinene and, methyl methacrylate using the Ru-alkylidenes Hoveyda-Grubbs and Grubbs second generation catalysts. There were obtained terpene- and ester-terminated oligoisoprenes, with good yields and selectivities. The present results are a promising starting point for the application of this underexploited renewable resource as a new feedstock for metathesis transformations.