Novel dibenzofuranylbiphenyl compounds of the formula (I) ##STR1## which are unsubstituted or are monosubstituted or polysubstituted by radicals R=hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkoxy, halogen, phenoxy and benzyloxy and in which R.sub.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, halogen or phenyl and M is hydrogen and/or one equivalent of a non-chromophoric cation and the preparation and use thereof for fluorescent whitening are described.