Iodine nitrate or bromine nitrate in acetonitrile or in chloroform react with a variety of phenolic substrates to form both halogenated and nitrated products. In the presence of strong complexing agents of halonium ions, no reaction occurs, while in the presence of pyridine or triethylamine, only halogenated phenols exhibiting a strong ortho-directing effect of the phenolic function are produced. Keywords: phenols, iodine nitrate, bromine nitrate, halogenation, nitration.