2-Nitro 1,3-dienes have been obtained from conjugated dienes via a nitroselenation-elimination sequence. The elimination of the selenium moiety is catalyzed by base. Several of the 2-nitro 1,3-dienes were isolated, whereas others were generated in situ and used for further reaction. They were found to react readily with enol ethers to give nitronic esters, which subsequently were transformed to unsaturated 1,4-dicarbonyl compounds.