Asymmetric syntheses of (S,S,S)-2-amino-5-methylcyclopentanecarboxylic acid and (S,S,S)-2-amino-5-phenylcyclopentanecarboxylic acid were achieved in 9 steps from commercially available starting materials via the Ireland–Claisen rearrangement of two enantiopure β-amino allyl esters, followed by ring-closing metathesis, reduction and deprotection.