The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C18H20Cl2O2, consists of a half-mol-ecule, the other half being generated by an inversion center, located at the mid-point of the benzene-benzene bond. Except for the two Cl atoms, all other atoms of the compound are nearly coplanar, with the atomic displacements from the mol-ecular mean plane ranging from 0.0037 (19) to 0.071 (2) Å. The two Cl atoms are in trans positions and are displaced with respect to the mean plane by 1.687 (2) and -1.693 (3) Å. The crystal packing is governed by van der Waals inter-actions.