Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the preparation of β-amino acids and peptidomimetics. Its azide group allows for further transformation via reduction to an amine or participation in click chemistry reactions, enabling efficient linkage to other molecular fragments. The steric bulk from the dimethylbutanoic structure aids in controlling stereochemistry during peptide coupling and enzyme inhibition studies. Commonly applied in research settings for developing bioactive molecules and optimizing drug candidates.