Abstract A reaction sequence was studied for the preparation of cyclophanes 12, which contain 2, 7-bis (2-phenylethenyl) naphthalene chromophores and polymethylenedioxy chains of different length. The irradiation of 12 in the presence of I 2 led then, by oxidative cyclization processes, to the hexahelicenophanes 13, provided that the methylenedioxy chain of 12 is long enough (n= 8, 10). As competitive photoreaction, a twofold [2π+ 2π] ...
