A process for preparing a poly-ethynyl-substituted aromatic compound characterized by reacting a halogenated benzene with an ethynylzinc halide; a process for preparing a poly-ethynyl-substituted aromatic compound characterized by using a halogenated benzene having at least two kinds of halogen atoms as a halogenated benzene, and (A) reacting one kind of the halogen atoms existing in the halogenated benzene with an ethynyl group-containing compound; and (B) reacting the other kind of halogen atoms remaining in the formed compound with an ethynylzinc halide. The poly-ethynyl-substituted aromatic compound is used as liquid crystals, nonlinear optical materials, electroconductive materials and the like