a method for the direct preparation of olefins from ketones and grignard reagents without isolation of the intermediate alcohol and in the absence of acidic dehydration catalysts . ketones are reacted with a grignard reagent in the presence of a low boiling solvent for the grignard reagent to form a grignard reaction mixture . an active hydrogen - containing compound is added to the grignard reaction mixture to form a reaction mixture comprising an alcohol and grignard salts . the alcohol is dehydrated in the presence of the grignard salts and a solvent which has a higher boiling point than solvents typically emloyed during the grignard condensation . the higher boiling solvent can be an active hydrogen - containing compound such as n - octanol and otherwise can be added at any time , including the initial condensation step .