No contest: A co-reactant deprived of reactivity

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4039(91)80644-L

Whereas benzyl chloride is normally more reactive than benzyl alcohol toward aromatic hydrocarbons, at 20°C alkylation of toluene is totally inhibited in the presence of an equimolar mixture of the two benzylating agents and of a clay-based catalyst. At 80°C, all the alcohol molecules are first consumed. Then, and only then, at time T = 45 mn, the chloride molecules start their reaction.