Citronella-based polyesters by organocatalyzed ring-opening polymerization and their recyclable crosslinked films

•Polyesters were synthesized via organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization of downstream product of citronella oil, a non-food biomass.•Chemical transformation of trisubstituted alkene moiety was achieved by cross-metathesis of this bulky group with methyl acrylate.•Free-standing films were fabricated by UV-induced crosslinking of acrylate-terminated three-armed star polymers.•Crosslinked thin films were efficiently recycled as ω-hydroxy ester upon organobase-catalyzed methanolysis.