Using a relative rate method, rate constants for the gas‐phase reactions of OH radicals with allyl alcohol, 3‐buten‐1‐ol, 3‐buten‐2‐ol, and 2‐methyl‐3‐buten‐2‐ol have been measured at 296 ± 2 K and atmospheric pressure of air. Using 1,3,5‐trimethylbenzene as the reference compound, the rate constants (in units of 10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1) were: allyl alcohol, 5.46 ± 0.35; 3‐buten‐1‐ol, 5.50 ± 0.20; 3‐buten‐2‐ol, 5.93 ± 0.23; and 2‐methyl‐3‐buten‐2‐ol, 5.67 ± 0.13; where the indicated errors are two least‐squares standard deviations and do not include the uncertainty in the rate constant for 1,3,5‐trimethylbenzene. The H‐atom abstraction products acrolein and methyl vinyl ketone were observed from the allyl alcohol and 3‐buten‐2‐ol reactions, respectively, with respective yields of 5.5 ± 0.7 and 4.9 ± 1.4%. No evidence for formation of acrolein from 3‐buten‐1‐ol or 3‐buten‐2‐ol was obtained, with upper limits to the acrolein yields of ≤1.2 and ≤0.5%, respectively, being determined. Reaction mechanisms are discussed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 33: 142–147, 2001