Flammability varies and often is determined by degree of halogenation (increasing degree of halogenation reduces flammability).

Simple aromatic halogenated organic compounds are very unreactive, and generally become less reactive as more of their hydrogen atoms are replaced with halogen atoms. Aryl halides do not participate in conventional SN2 nucleophilic aromatic substitution reactions. Instead the halides are displaced by strong nucleophiles via reactions involving radical anions. On the other hand, aryl halides, especially the bromides and iodides, undergo oxidative addition with transition metals, and thus are subject to palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions. Aryl halides react with metals like magnesium, to give more reactive derivatives that behave as sources of aryl anions (e.g. Grignard reagents). At high temperatures, aryl halides react with ammonia to give anilines.

Low to moderate toxicity exists for compounds in this class. High vapor concentrations of these compounds may have an anesthetic effect.

An aryl halide (also known as haloarene or halogenoarene) is an aromatic compound in which one or more hydrogen atoms directly bonded to an aromatic ring are replaced by a halide. The haloarenes are distinguished from haloalkanes because they exhibit many differences in methods of preparation and properties. The most important members are the aryl chlorides, but the class of compounds is so broad that many derivatives are intermediates in synthesis of commercial products, act as solvents, additive to motor oils.

1-Chloronapthalene, benzotrichloride, bromobenzene, chlorotoluenes, cyanazine, dichlone, hexachlorophene, linuron, methazole, oxazepam.