Abstract An effective procedure has been developed for the general synthesis of mixed alkyl or aryl phosphate esters by metal-catalyzed phosphorylation of alcohols with aryl bis (2-oxo- 3-oxazolinyl) phosphinate. Among metallic acetylacetonates examined as catalysts, the zirconium complex was the most effective as in activity order of Zr (IV)> Ce (III)> Zn (II)> Mn (III)> Mn (II)-complexes.