An easy synthesis of aryl phosphonates by oxidation from aryldichlorophosphines with iodine in good yields is described. Aryldichlorophosphines are obtained by reaction of phosphorous trichloride with some aromatics in presence of various Lewis acids. BiCl3 and Bi(OTf)3 are used for the first time and bismuth trichloride is, for the first time in the case of anisole or thioanisole phosphonylation,