Method of preparing poly-substituted acylbenzenes

A method of preparing a poly-substituted acylbenzene having a structural formula of ##STR10## where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of lower alkoxy and hydroxy, R is selected from the group consisting of (a) a lower alkyl, and (b) an aryl selected from phenyl, naphthyl, .alpha.-thienyl, .beta.-thienyl, .alpha.-furyl, .beta.-furyl, .alpha.-pyridyl, .beta.-pyridyl and .gamma.-pyridyl, each having substituents thereon of (X).sub.m and (Y).sub.n where X and Y are the same or different and are selected from the group consisting of halogen, lower alkyl, lower alkoxy, lower alkylthio, trifluoromethyl and nitro, and m and n are the same or different integers and may vary from .phi. to 2, which comprises reacting a first reactant selected from the group consisting ##STR11## where R is defined above and R.sup.1 is selected from a lower alkyl and a polyhaloloweralkyl, with a second reactant having a formula of ##STR12## where R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are as defined above, in the presence of an acylating agent comprising a montmorillonite clay.