To provide a method for selectively, and industrially advantageously producing a polyene derivative important as a medicine intermediate from a cheap raw material without passing β-ionone by subjecting a specific alcohol derivative of a polyene to a dehydration reaction.

An alcohol derivative of a polyene of formula I (R is a protective group of hydroxy group, such as acetyl group) is subjected to a dehydration reaction such as an acid-catalyzed reaction, a Chugaev reaction and a Burgess reaction to provide the objective polyene derivative of formula II. The alcohol derivative of the polyene is synthesized by several steps from geraniol, and either of E- and Z-geometrical isomers, a mixture thereof, and either of a racemic body and an optically active body can be used.