Graphite and graphene oxides, prepared using pure graphite with nitric acid by the Hammers method and followed by rapid heating, were used as a catalyst for bromination or alkylation. The activity test was performed in a batch reactor for 5 h at 323 K with phenol and tert-butylbromide as the raw materials. The relationships between the structures and compositions of the graphite and graphene oxides and catalytic activities were studied. The structure and composition of the graphene oxide were analyzed by XRD and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The phenol bromination mainly occurred on the graphite oxide accompanied by Friedel-Crafts alkylation that occurred during the initial stage. The bromination occurred on the carbonyl group in the layers of the graphite oxide based on the XPS and XRD analyses. The mechanism of the phenol bromination on the graphite oxide is discussed. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.