The main problem is that you are missing the call to

pthread_cleanup_pop(0)

after the function continues comment. That will make the compiler fail. Check out sample code using push/pop at opengroup.org.

You also have a few other problems there, as pointed out in other answers.

Here is something that at least compiles after fixing all the compiler errors:

#include <pthread.h>

typedef struct struct_def {
         /* data */
} struct_def;

struct_def *ptr_to_struct_def;

void cleanup (void *arg)
{
      /* Do your cleanup for the thread here */
}

void *
thread_function(void *arg)
{
    pthread_cleanup_push(cleanup, (void *)ptr_to_struct_def); /* correct? */
    /* Function continues */
    pthread_cleanup_pop (0);
}

int
main()
{
    int err;
    pthread_t tid;

    err = pthread_create(&tid, NULL, thread_function, (void *)1);
    /* main continues */
}

I don t see the assignment ptr_to_struct_def = &struct_def; in the code you posted.

Wait ... did you say compiler? If this doesn t compile - post the compiler error. Though I don t think you meant that.

OK, you did mean that :) Thanks to @Gonzalo I looked into the /usr/include/pthread.h and sure enough the push/pop are macros (at least on Linux here):

#  define pthread_cleanup_push(routine, arg) 
  do {                                        
    __pthread_cleanup_class __clframe (routine, arg)
...
#  define pthread_cleanup_pop(execute) 
    __clframe.__setdoit (execute);                        
  } while (0)

What an unpleasant surprise ...

typedef struct
{

} struct_def;

struct_def *ptr_to_struct_def;

void * thread_function(void *arg)

int main()
{
     int err,iResult;
     pthread_attr_t sThreadAttr;
     iResult = pthread_attr_init(&sThreadAttr);
     assert(iResult==0);

     pthread_t tid;

     err = pthread_create(&tid1, &sThreadAttr, thread_function, (void *)&ptr_to_struct_def);

 iResult = pthread_join(sThread, NULL);
  assert(iResult==0);

     /* main continues */
#else

thread_function();
#endif

  // the end
  return 0;
}

void * thread_function(void *arg)
{
}

With that code, the ptr_to_struct_def is undefined/uninitialized that cannot work. It should point to some instance of struct_def.

Also I think it is quite uncommon to pass (void*)1 for unused arguments, just use 0 if you don t use the value.

pthread_cleanup_push(cleanup, (void *)ptr_to_struct_def);
//-------------------^^^^^^^  where is this function defined/declared?

You don t need the pointer (notice I removed the typedef):

typedef struct struct_def {
 /* data */
} struct_def;

struct_def *ptr_to_struct_def;

void *
thread_function(void *arg)
{
     pthread_cleanup_push(cleanup, (void *)ptr_to_struct_def); /* correct? */

     /* function continues */
}

int
main()
{
     int err;
     pthread_t tid;

     err = pthread_create(&tid1, NULL, thread_function, (void *)1);

     /* main continues */
}