Penicillamine or a homolog thereof is obtained by reacting a 2-disubstituted-5,5-alkyl-thiazolidine nitrile, alkyl having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, with a mineral acid in a two-stage proceeding wherein in the first stage relatively low temperatures and a relatively high concentration of the mineral acid are employed while in the second stage the concentration of the acid is relatively low and the temperatures are relatively high, the term "relatively" referring to the relationship of said two stages of the reaction with mineral acid.