Abstract Activation of 2-alkyn-1-ols as their methanesulfonate esters and displacement with hydrazine furnishes the corresponding alkynyl hydrazine derivatives which undergo smooth oxidative rearrangement with diethyl azodicarboxylate (DEAD) or 4-methyl-1, 2, 4-triazoline- 3, 5-dione (MTAD) to form allenes.