AbstractCarbonylation of benzyl halides to phenylacetic acid was studied in a two‐phase system with iron pentacarbonyl as the catalyst precursor. The solutions consisted of a benzyl halide and iron pentacarbonyl in benzene and tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate in aqueous sodium hydroxide. Stirring under carbon monoxide readily produced phenylacetic salts in aqueous phase which were then acidified and extracted with ether. The yields of phenylacetic acid from benzyl iodide and from benzyl bromide were similar at a evel of about 50percnt;, that of the latter being higher by 1%. The yield from benzyl chloride was far less, at a level of only 21%. The rate as studied with gas chromatography was found to decrease in the order benzyl iodide>benzyl bromide>benzyl chlorid