  We classify multipartite entangled states in the 2 x 2 x n (n >= 4) quantum
system, for example the 4-qubit system distributed over 3 parties, under local
filtering operations. We show that there exist nine essentially different
classes of states, and they give rise to a five-graded partially ordered
structure, including the celebrated Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) and W
classes of 3 qubits. In particular, all 2 x 2 x n-states can be
deterministically prepared from one maximally entangled state, and some
applications like entanglement swapping are discussed.
