Skin of cattle in East End compound (5)
I believe the answer is:
oxide
This might be a double definition.
'skin of cattle in east end' is the first definition.
The definition and answer can be both substances as well as being singular nouns.
Perhaps you can see an association between them that I can't see?
'compound' is the second definition.
(oxide is a kind of compound)
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for oxide that I've seen before include "Oxygenous compound" , "Chemical compound" , "Compound of oxygen with another element" , "Rust is iron -" , "Rust, for instance" .)