A convenient procedure to prepare L-homoglutamic acid (L-2-aminoadipic acid; L-Aad) is described. Chlorination of e-amino group in acetyl-L-lysine ethyl ester with t-butyl hypochlorite (t-BuOCl) followed by dehydrochlorination with pyridine gave ethyl 5-cyanovalerate which on acid hydrolysis afforded L-Aad in good yield.