Two cyclic and two polymeric disulfides have been synthesized and established to be useful catalysts for the chlorination of m-xylenol, o-cresol, m-cresol and phenol using freshly distilled sulfuryl chloride in the presence of aluminum or ferric chloride as a co-catalyst at room  temperature. The yields of p-isomers and para/ortho ratios were higher compared to cases where no catalyst was used with most catalysts for most phenols even when a very low concentration of disulfide was used.