Facile synthesis of (E)-allylic alcohols by acid-catalyzed modification of the Mislow-Evans rearrangement of allylic sulfoxides.

The Mislow-Evans rearrangement of α, β-and α, γ-disubstituted allylic sulfoxides (2) to (E)-allylic alcohols (4) was found to occur under acidic conditions. By combination of this method with a catalytic oxidation of allylic sulfides (1), a novel one-pot transformation of allylic sulfides (1) to 4 was achieved.