Sulfated zirconia (SZ) has been used as a heterogeneous catalyst in the synthesis of aromatic ketones. A number of carboxylic anhydrides and acid chlorides proved to be appropriate acylating agents in the reaction with anisole and chlorobenzene. The rate of anisole acylation was found to be dependent on the type of acylating agent used. Thus, acetic anhydride and benzoic anhydride reacted faster on SZ with anisole than benzoyl chloride. Successful SZ-catalyzed acylations of chlorobenzene were limited to acceptor substituted benzoyl chlorides as acylating agents. Acetic anhydride and benzoic anhydride did not react with chlorobenzene in the presence of SZ.