Abstract Tricyclic olefinic alcohols containing an unsymmetrically alkyl-substituted C, C- double bond were cyclized intramolecularly to their corresponding ethers under basic conditions: 9 [RIGHTWARDS ARROW] 12, 10 [RIGHTWARDS ARROW] 17+ 18, and 11 [RIGHTWARDS ARROW] 12 (Scheme 3, Table 1). The reactivity is mainly due to relieve of ground state strain.