Oligophenyls dihalogenated in the 4,4'-position, of the formula ##STR1## can be prepared by catalyzed halogenation of oligophenyls of the formula ##STR2## wherein, in the formulae, X.sup.1 and X.sup.2 independently of one another represent chlorine or bromine, preferably chlorine,X.sup.3 denotes hydrogen, chlorine or bromine, preferably hydrogen or chlorine and particularly preferably hydrogen,R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 independently of one another represent hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl (preferably methyl or ethyl and particularly preferably methyl), C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkoxy (preferably methoxy or ethoxy and particularly preferably methoxy), fluorine, chlorine or bromine anda assumes the value zero or one,with halogenating agents, the preparation being carried out in the presence of methylene chloride or solvent mixtures essentially containing methylene chloride and in the presence of zeolites of the L structure type which contain metal cations.