Pressurized chlorination and bromination of aromatic compounds

摘要

Disclosed is a method of adding 1 to 4 chlorine or bromine atoms to an aromatic ring of compound that has at least one electron-withdrawing groups on that ring. The aromatic compound is reacted with a chlorinating agent or a brominating agent in the presence of about 0.1 to about 10 mole % of a Lewis acid catalyst at a temperature of ambient to about 100° C. and a pressure of about 10 to about 100 psig.