Abstract The ultraviolet light-induced reaction of ethyl haloacetate with an excess benzene gives ethyl phenylacetate (1.7%) and diethyl succinate (1.6%) as main products, while the same reaction of excess chloroacetate with benzene gives ethyl phenylacetate higher yield (optimum 78.4%). Addition of aluminum chloride to the reaction mixture using an excess benzene gives ethyl phenylacetate as a sole product (11.5%). The effect of reaction conditions on the yield is examined.