E₆ Grand Unified Theories (GUTs) admit novel symmetry-breaking patterns compared to the more common SU(5) and SO(10) GUT. We study how SU(3)×SU(3)×SU(3) (trinification) or SU(6)×SU(2) symmetries can explicitly arise from E₆ at an intermediate breaking stage.
The representation 650 of E₆ emerges as the lowest-dimensional candidate for breaking into one of the novel intermediate symmetries. Demanding subsequent breaking to the Standard Model group and a realistic Yukawa sector, we argue that the minimal ``realistic'' model of this type has the scalar sector 650 ⊕ 27 ⊕ 351'. Perturbative considerations curb the construction of larger alternatives, so this model seems to be unique in its class. Assuming minimal tuning in scalar masses, three intermediate scenarios are consistent with unification: trinification SU(3)C × SU(3)L × SU(3)R with either LR (left-right) or CR (color-right) parity, and SU(6)CR × SU(2)L.