The synthesis of (2S,5R)-5-hydroxy-6-oxo-1,2-piperidinedicarboxylates (5) and related (3S,6R)-3-hydroxy-6-alkyl-2-oxo-1-piperidinecarboxylates has been developed. The approach is based on the asymmetric hydroxylation of enolates generated from the corresponding N-protected-6-substituted piperidin-2-ones. The utility of 5a as a precursor in the synthesis of (2S,5R)-5-hydroxylysine (1), an amino acid unique to collagen and collagen-like proteins, has also been demonstrated. (2S)-6-oxo-1,2-piperidinedicarboxylates (6) required for hydroxylation studies were prepared in 38-74% yield, starting from conveniently protected aspartic acid as inexpensive chiral adduct. Hydroxylation of 6 to 5 proceeds in high yield and excellent diastereoselectivity by treatment of their Li-enolate with (+)-camphorsulfonyloxaziridine at -78 degrees C. Ring opening of di-tert-butyl (2S,5R)-6-oxo-1,2-piperidinedicarboxylate ((5R)-5a) under reductive conditions afforded the corresponding 1,2-diol (17) in 91%, which was further transformed to (2S,5R)-5-hydroxylysine in four steps (84%). 17 is also a versatile intermediate in the preparation of tert-butyl (2S,5R)-2-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-5-hydroxy-6-iodohexanoate (3) and tert-butyl (2S)-2-[(tert-butoxycarbonyl)amino]-4-[(2R)-oxiranyl]butanoate (4), two amino acid derivatives used in the total synthesis of the bone collagen cross-link (+)-pyridinoline (2a).