Doebner reaction of naphthalene-or 3, 4-dihydro-1, 2-naphthalenedicarboxylic anhydride with malonic acid in pyridine provided a convenient method for 2-acetyl-1-naph-thoic-or 2-acetyl-3, 4-dihydro-1-naphthoic acid. The structures of the products were also established.