The present invention relates to a process for production of carboxylic acid aryl esters which comprises reacting a basic salt of a basic compound selected from alkali metal or alkali earth metal hydroxides, oxides, and carbonates with a carboxylic acid having at least one carboxyl group with a diaryl phosphite compound represented by the following general formula (2):
where each R independently represents a hydrogen atom, halogen or alkyl group, n is 1, 2 or 3, and when there exist a plurality of halogen and/or alkyl groups as R, they may be the same or different.