Abstract: The insertion of phenyl (bromodichloromethy1) mercury-derived dichlorocarbene into the benzylic CH bond of (+)-Zphenylbutane occurs with predominant retention of configuration. The kinetic deuterium isotope effect for this process was determined to be 2.5. In a Hammett study, pairs of substituted cumenes, ZC6H4-CMezH (Z= p-CHa, H, pF, p-C1, m- CFs), were allowed to compete for a deficiency of PhHgCC1, Br. These ex-periments ...