Alkenyl propargylic tertiary acetates were prepared by deprotonation of the corresponding enyne followed by nucleophilic addition to ketones and then treatment with acetic anhydride. The resulting acetates were then employed in diastereoselective [4+1] cycloadditions with CO catalyzed by [RhCl(CO)2]2 to form α‐benzylidene cyclopentenone derivatives. We found the cycloadditions of the tertiary acetates to be more diastereoselective than those of the corresponding secondary acetates, as a result of increased substitution at the propargylic carbon. When an electron‐donating meta substituent, such as Me and MeO, is introduced to the aryl group at the propargylic carbon of the tertiary acetate, the diastereoselectivity improved to >8:1 (E/Z).