Campholenal analogues (+)-1a-d were decarbonylated with a catalytic amount of Rh/Al2O3 with only slight racemization. Experiments with other catalysts showed that racemization increases with the ability of the metal to form a pi-allyl complex and to catalyse the hydrogenation of the beta-elimination side product. (Ph3P)3RhCl gave the best results.