[reaction: see text] Mannosyl and glucosyl phosphate donors were successfully used in constructing C-aryl linkages common to many natural products via a Lewis acid induced Fries-like rearrangement. The rearrangement was stereo- and regiospecific, yielding only one C-glycoside product. C-Alkyl glycoside carbohydrate mimetics were generated by using silicon-derived C-nucleophiles and glycosyl phosphates.