Cryptic crossword clue
Pioneers synthetic rubber compound 8

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word ISOPRENE

I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
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Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "rubber compound" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case rubber compound = isoprene.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does ISOPRENE mean?

ISOPRENE noun
  1. An unsaturated hydrocarbon, C5H8, that is readily polymerized; natural rubber (caoutchouc) is cis-1,4-polyisoprene, and trans-1,4-polyisoprene is present in gutta-percha and balata; it is the structural basis for the terpenes.

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