We report the adiabatic electron affinity of the cyanobenzyl radical, EA(PhCHCN) = 1.90 +/- 0.01 eV, determined from a combination of the experiment and theory, and assign an upper limit of the EA for the chlorobenzyl radical, EA(PhCHC1) <= 1.12 eV. From these results, the C-H bond dissociation energies at the benzyl-alpha sites of the corresponding closed-shell parent molecules are determined: 80.9 +/- 2.3 kcal mol(-1) for benzyl nitrile and an upper limit of 84.2 kcal mol(-1) for benzyl chloride. These results are discussed in terms of substituent interactions and in relation to other similar molecules. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.