Toluene reacts with a halogen in the presence of iron (III) chloride giving ortho and para halo compounds. The reaction is
Toluene is an aromatic hydrocarbon (C6H5—CH3) and can be treated with halogens and used to produce aryl halides in the presence of Lewis acid catalyst iron (III) chloride by an electrophilic substitution reaction. The reaction is carried out with chlorine or bromine in the absence of light, and the products are o- and p- haloarenes.