Cyclic tetramers of 10-alkylanthracene-1,8-diyl units were synthesized by Ni-mediated coupling of the corresponding 1,8-dibromo precursors as new cycloarenes. X-ray analysis and DFT calculations revealed that these molecules had a box-shaped framework with dihedral angles between adjacent anthracene planes of ca. 70 degrees and 110 degrees. The macrocyclic framework had high conformational mobility compared with their analogs having ethynylene linkers. The UV-vis and fluorescence spectra indicated that the pi-conjugation is not extended in the cyclic oligomers due to the nearly perpendicular conformation.