Facile Conversion of Alcohols to Olefins by Tosylation and Subsequent SiO2- promoted β-elimination

A convenient and effective procedure was developed for the conversion of alcohol to olefin by tosylation and subsequent β-elimination promoted by silica gel in this study. Treatment of the alcohols with p-toluenesulfonyl chloride in pyridine at 0℃ affords tosylates which undergo β-elimination with silica gel in dichloromethane or chloroform at room temperature, yielding olefinswith high productivity.