The present invention relates to a process for producing diaryl carbonates, which is to synthesize diaryl carbonates by oxidative carbonylation of phenols with carbon monoxide and oxygen, and in particular, to synthesize diphenyl carbonate from phenol. The present invention is characterized in that a catalytic system comprising a metal halide catalyst and one or more cocatalysts of nitrogenous heterocyclic compounds is used to increase the convertibility, selectivity and yield of this catalytic reaction.