A ruthenium-catalyzed enyne metathesis reaction followed by a cobalt-catalyzed Diels–Alder reaction and oxidation of the dihydroaromatic intermediate generates the two regioisomeric aromatic products in good overall yields in a one-pot procedure. The regiochemistry of the cycloaddition can be controlled by the ligand choice on the cobalt catalyst to generate the product with the 1,3,5- or the 1,2,4-substitution