NOVELTY - Producing H-phosphonates circumventing the use of chlorine, comprises either (a) reacting hypophosphorous acid with an alcohol to produce a phosphinate and an excess of alcohol, and reacting the phosphinate in the presence of the excess alcohol with a metal catalyst to produce an H-phosphonate, or (b) esterifying hypophosphorous acid by reacting the hypophosphorous acid with an alcohol to produce a phosphinate and an excess of alcohol, and reacting the phosphinate with another molecule of alcohol under the action of a nickel catalyst to produce an H-phosphonate diester.    USE - The method is useful for producing H-phosphonates (claimed), which are useful as flame retardants, herbicides and pesticides, and medicines.    ADVANTAGE - The method is capable of producing H-phosphonates with high purity and less waste production in an efficient, safe and economical manner.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Producing H-phosphonates circumventing the use of chlorine, comprises either (a) reacting hypophosphorous acid with an alcohol to produce a phosphinate and an excess of alcohol, and reacting the phosphinate in the presence of the excess alcohol with a metal catalyst to produce an H-phosphonate, or (b) esterifying hypophosphorous acid by reacting the hypophosphorous acid with an alcohol to produce a phosphinate and an excess of alcohol, and reacting the phosphinate with another molecule of alcohol under the action of a nickel catalyst to produce an H-phosphonate diester, or (c) oxidizing hypophosphorous acid in the presence of a nickel catalyst to produce phosphorous acid using water as a solvent, or reacting hypophosphorous acid with excess alcohol in the presence of the nickel catalyst to produce an H-phosphonate. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for producing glyphosate circumventing the use of chlorine comprising esterifying hypophosphorous acid by reacting the hypophosphorous acid with an alcohol to produce a phosphinate and an excess of alcohol, reacting the phosphinate with another molecule of alcohol under the action of a nickel catalyst to produce an H-phosphonate diester, and converting the H-phosphonate diester so produced to glyphosate.