Bromination of toluene and its meta-and para-substituted derivatives with NBS by irradiation using a tungsten lamp gave benzotribromides and cis-and trans-1, 2-dibromo-1, 2- diarylethylenes, while ortho-substituted toluenes gave benzal bromides. o-Xylene gave tetra- and pentabromides and m-xylene afforded a mixture of dibromodiarylethylenes.