The treatment of allylic p-tolyl sulfones with a catalytic amount of [Pd (PPh 3) 4] gave the 1, 3- rearrangement products in high yields. A convenient method for the preparation of α, β- unsaturated ketones using [Pd (PPh 3) 4] as a catalyst from the 1, 3-rearrangement products, 2-tosylhomoallyl alcohols, is also described.