The reaction of alkylsulfenyl chlorides with 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran, follou~ed by treatment of the product with sodium methoxide, gave, highly stereoselectively, trans-3-alkylthio-2-methoxytetrahydropyrans. Purification by distillation under a vacuum a t temperatures above 55" resulted in the eliminatioll of methyl alcohol to produce 5-(a1lrylthio)-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrans in a good yield. At lower temperatures, the more volatile homolognes could be distilled undecomposed, but these had undergone thermal isomerization t o a mixture of cisand trans-3-alkylthio-2-metho~~tetrahydropyrans. The conformational prefereilce of these isonlers is discussed.