Bromo and chloro substituents serve as excellent blocking groups on aromatic rings. When a halo substituent is para to an ortho,para-directing group, the ortho positions can be easily functionalized, and the halo group can be subsequently removed by catalytic hydrogenation under neutral conditions. As expected, bromides are reduced more quickly than chlorides and the reaction requires the use of less catalyst. Bromides can be selectively reduced in the presence of nitro, chloro, cyano, keto, or carboxylic acid groups.