The synthesis of alpha,omega-difunctional chemical intermediates from renewable resources via the cross-metathesis reactions with allyl chloride is described. Different ruthenium metathesis catalysts were investigated and the reaction conditions were optimized for high conversions in combination with high cross-metathesis selectivity. New building blocks and chemical intermediates from fatty acid derivates were thus obtained in catalytic reactions with low catalyst loadings under bulk conditions. Therefore, a new potential use of renewable raw materials for the synthesis of intermediates for Nylon-11 and Nylon-12 was demonstrated. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.