Acylamides or amine acylate salts of arylalkanolamines are prepared by reacting an arylisonitrosoalkanone with hydrogen and a carboxylic acid, carboxylic acid anhydride or carboxylic acid ester or mixture thereof in the presence of a transition metal catalyst; optionally the product is converted to the corresponding arylalkanolamine hydrochloride salt by reaction of the acylamide or amine acylate salt of the arylalkanolamine with hydrogen chloride in a C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 alkyl alcohol.