  We present a microscopic dynamical study of the reactions involving three
$^{4}$He clusters. We show that the much discussed triple-$\alpha$ linear chain
configuration of $^{12}$C is formed with a certain lifetime and subsequently
decays into a triangular configuration of $^{12}$C and then to a configuration
near the ground state. Time-dependent Hartree-Fock (TDHF) theory coupled with a
density constraint is used to study the properties of these configurations. We
find a sequence of dynamical transitions analogous to the suggested
astrophysical mechanism for the formation of $^{12}$C nuclei.
