Reductive dehydration of propiophenone to beta-methylstyrene has been carried out over different calcined hydrotalcites viz MgAl, CoAl, NiAl, and CuAl under transfer hydrogenation conditions in the temperature range 498-548 K. The performance of calcined MgAl hydrotalcites is found to be much better than MgO and the physical mixture of MgO and Al2O3. It is found that selectivity of beta-methylstyrene is improved upon the substitution of Mg2+ by Ni2+ or Cu2+ as a result of the formation of stronger acid sites. The overall conversion of propiophenone is influenced by the number and strength of basic sites whereas the selectivity of alkene is affected by the strength of acidic sites present on the catalyst surface.