A novel Sc(OTf) ₃ -catalyzed Tiffeneau-Demjanov ring expansion of six-membered cyclic ketones has been developed. The resulting seven-membered cyclic β-keto carboxamides were found to be versatile precursors to rare bicyclic pyrazoles obtained in modest to good yields via condensation with aryl hydrazines in the presence of Lawesson's reagent.