The air-stable copper(II) catalyst [Cu( meso FOX-L1)(MeCN)][OTf] 2 (2a) is prepared from a fused meso-dipyridylbisoxazolidine ( meso FOX-L1) and CuBr 2 , followed by treatment with AgOTf. The compound is a catalyst for the dehydration of 1-phenylethanol to styrene (+H 2 O) in over 95% yield at 1 mol % catalyst loading. Other alcohols (benzylic, tertiary, or allylic) are also efficiently dehydrated by this catalyst. Water separation in toluene solvent is found to play an important role in the reaction. Related compounds with Zn(II) have been prepared and display reduced dehydration activity.