Acylaromatic compounds ##STR1## (Q: aromatic compound residue; R: straight, branched or cyclic aliphatic group, aromatic group or araliphatic group) are prepared in high yield by a reaction, in the presence of a boron trifluoride complex catalyst, of an aromatic compound with ##STR2## (X: H, Cl, Br; Y: Cl, Br) or with RCOOH in the presence of (XYCHCO).sub.2 O.