Convenient syntheses for 4, 5, 7, 8-tetrameth~ 1 [2~](1, 4) cyclophane (5) and its mono-Birch reduction product (6) are described. By application of the Bennett procedure for converting dihydroarenes to arene-ruthenium (I1) complexes, 6 has been converted to (~ 6-4, 5, 7, 8- tetramethy1 [22](1, 4) cyclophane)(13) and to bis (q6-4, 5, 7, 8-tetrameth~ l [2~](1, 4) cyclophane) ruthenium (II) bis (tetrafluorob0rate)(14). These are the first syntheses of [2,]- ...