The cyclopropane ring opening reaction of 7,7-dimethyl-3-oxotricyclo[3.3.0.0(2,8)]octane-5-acetic acid (5) was examined. A regioselective C(1)-C(2) bond cleavage of 5 proceeded smoothly under acidic conditions to give a bicyclo-[3.2.1]octan-3-one derivative 7 in good yield, as a result of neighboring-group participation of the carboxyl group. The lactone 7 was then successfully transformed into the 1,4-diketone 9, a useful intermediate for total synthesis of (+/-)-descarboxyquadrone (4).