Asymmetric cinchona alkaloid-catalyzed acid chloride-aldehyde cyclocondensation (AAC) reactions afford enantioenriched 4-substituted and 3,4-disubstituted beta-lactones with near perfect absolute and relative stereocontrol. These reactions are characterized by the operational simplicity derived from using commercially available or easily obtained (one-step) reaction catalysts and in situ ketene generation from acid chlorides. The range of aldehyde substrates that serve as effective AAC substrates include sterically hindered aldehydes such as cyclohexanecarboxaldehyde and pivaldehyde.