Abstract: A process for the preparation of d,1-lysine wherein 2-cyanopyridine is hydrolyzed to picolinamide, the picolinamide is hydrogenated to pipecolamide, the pipecolamide is converted to 1-acetyl-2-cyanopiperidine, the 1-acetyl-2-cyanopiperidine is then converted to a compound which is hydrolyzed to d,1-lysine.