Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of protease inhibitors and other biologically active compounds. Its cyclic structure with functional groups in close proximity makes it valuable in medicinal chemistry for mimicking peptide bonds and stabilizing molecular conformation. Commonly employed in the design of drugs targeting neurological disorders and metabolic diseases due to its ability to influence binding selectivity and improve metabolic stability. Also utilized in asymmetric synthesis and organocatalysis owing to its stereochemical integrity.