Trifluoromethanesulfonic acid catalyzed Friedel–Crafts acylation of aromatics with β-lactams

N-Protected and unprotected 2-azetidinones, protolytically activated by superacidic trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, react with aromatic compounds to give β-amino aromatic ketones in good to excellent yields (65–98%). Non-benzenoid aromatics (pyrrole and ferrocene) produced good yield (64–89%) of the corresponding ketones.