10 and p is an integer of 1 10 in an embodiment r 1 a and r 1 b are the same in another embodiment r 2 a and r 2 b are the same in yet another embodiment r 3 a and r 3 b are the same in yet another embodiment r 1 a and r 1 b or h or c n h 2n 1 or methyl in yet another embodiment r 1 a and r 1 b are h and r 3 a and r 3 b are methyl in yet another embodiment r 3 a and r 3 b are methyl in yet another embodiment r 1 a r 1 b r 3 a and r 3 b are methyl in yet another embodiment r 2 a and r 2 b are c n h 2n 1 or h as can be noted in the structures above the substituents can be attached to the aromatic ring at any point thus making it possible to have ortho meta and para substituents as defined above in one aspect the present invention provides a process for preparing the phenoxy aromatic compounds in one embodiment the phenoxy aromatic compound is prepared by contacting a halogenated phosphonyl compound of structure ii.