Process for the production of aryl phosphonyl compounds

Process for the production of aryl phosphonyl compounds of the general formula ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1 represents a mono- or polynuclear C.sub.6 -C.sub.14 aryl radical, which can be substituted by chlorine, fluorine or by alkyl, aryl, alkoxy, aryloxy, alkenyl or cyano radicals,

• R.sup.2 and R.sup.3, independently of each other represent an alkyl, alkenyl or aryl radical or a radical of the structure O-R.sup.5, in which R.sup.5, independently of R.sup.1, has the same meaning as R.sup.1,
• by the catalytic rearrangement of aryloxy phosphines of the general formula II ##STR3## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 have the meanining indicated above, characterized in that the rearrangement is carried out in the presence of aromatic bromine compounds and a zero-valent nickel catalyst selected from the group consisting of elemental nickel, a complex of nickel (o) with a trialkyl phosphite, a triaryl phosphite, a phosphonous acid ester, a phosphinous acid ester, a phosphine, phosphorus trifluoride, an isonitrile, an amine, a nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, and a compound of nickel in an oxidation state higher than zero wherein the nickel is converted to zero-valent nickel under the reaction conditions.