~ ~~The preparation of tetraethynylethene (3,4-diethynylhex-3-ene-1,j-diyne) 1 as well as of a great diversity of differentially mono-, di-, and triprotected derivatives by newly developed synthetic routes is described. These fully cross-conjugated molecules are versatile building blocks and precursors to two-dimensional all-C networks and novel C-rich nanoarchitecture with unusual structural and electronic properties, such as perethynylated expanded radialenes, or molecular wires and polymers with the novel polytriacetylene backbone. A key step in all of these routes was the Corey-Fuchs dihromoolefination of aldehydes and ketones. Dibromoolefination of silyl-protected penta-1,4-diyn-3-ones yielded the corresponding dibromomethylidene derivatives which, by twofold Pd-catalyzed alkyne coupling, were transformed into tetraethynylethene derivatives. In routes to tetraethynylethenes with free cis-or trans-enediyne moieties, dibromoolefination of aldehyde groups produced geminal dibromoethenes which, upon elimination/metallation with LDA followed by quenching with H+ or other electrophiles, yielded free or substituted ethynyl groups in high yields. Tetra-and triprotected tetraethynylethenes are rather stable compounds that could be isolated in pure form, whereas derivatives with two or more free -C-H termini were only stable in dilute solution and polymerized rapidly in pure form. A trans-bis-deprotected, trans-bis(triisopropylsily1)-protected derivative represented an exception and could be isolated as stable crystals. X-Ray analysis revealed that the two bulky (i-Pr)$i groups isolate the reactive chromophores from one another in the crystal and prevent intermolecular reactions. The structures of several tetraethynylethenes were revealed in high-quality X-ray crystal structures.