To facilitate the recovery and reutilization of a catalyst and make it possible to obtain an aromatic ketone useful as a base for cosmetics, etc., and a raw material for emulsifying agents, oil agents, etc., from an inexpensive acylating agent, by using a specific catalyst and the specified acylating agent.

(A) An aromatic compound having one or more substitutable hydrogens in the aromatic ring is reacted with (B) an acylating agent which is a carboxylic acid (ester) such as a compound represented by the formula A-COOH [A is a (substituted) 1-36C aliphatic, alicyclic or aromatic group] or a compound represented by the formula A-COO-B (B is A) by using (C) a catalyst that is a compound represented by the formula M(OSO2 Rf)3 [M is a rare earth atom; Rf is a perfluoroalkyl(oxy)] to afford an aromatic ketone. Furthermore, the reaction is preferably carried out by using (D) a cocatalyst that is a compound represented by the formula D-OH (D is A) in order to promote the reaction and improve the yield.