Fused tetracycles with a benzene or cyclohexadiene core: [2 + 2 + 2] cycloadditions on macrocyclic systems.

A series of fused tetracycles with a benzene or cyclohexadiene core (2a-h) is satisfactorily prepared by intramolecular [2 + 2 + 2] cycloadditions of triynic and enediynic macrocycles (1a-h) under RhCl(PPh3)3 catalysis; the enantioselective cycloaddition of macrocycles 1b and 1e and gives chiral tetracycles with moderate enantiomeric excess.