An ortho-alkylation method of an aromatic ketone. In the method, as starting materials, the aromatic ketone is reacted with aliphatic or aromatic alkyl moiety-containing olefins in the presence of a primary amine and a transition metal catalyst as reaction catalysts, or ketimines resulting from a reaction of aromatic ketones with a primary amine are reacted with aliphatic or aromatic alkyl moiety-containing olefins in the presence of a transition metal catalyst, thereby introducing the alkyl moiety to the ortho-position of the aromatic ketone.