Halonitroarylacetonitriles are prepared by reacting a halonitroaromatic compound wherein the halo substituent has an atomic number of at least 17 with an alpha,alpha-disubstituted acetonitrile in an inert solvent and in the presence of a base so that the nitrile undergoes a nucleophilic substitution on an unsubstituted ring carbon of the halonitroaromatic compound during which an alpha-substituent functions as a leaving group. The halonitroarylacetonitriles formed by the process can be readily converted into derivatives, such as pharmaceuticals.