Friedel-Crafts acylation of aromatic compounds such as anisole, 2-methoxynaphthalene, veratrole, isobutylbenzene and aromatic heterocycle compounds such as pyrrole, furan, thiophene, benzothiophene with different acid anhydrides is carried out in the batch mode with different forms of beta zeolite. The micronized beta zeolite shows manifold activity over normal zeolite in acylation reactions of aromatics. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.