Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the preparation of protease inhibitors such as those used in antiviral therapies. Its Boc-protected amino group and methyl ester functionality allow for selective reactions in multi-step organic syntheses, while the free hydroxyl group enables further functionalization. Commonly employed in the development of HIV and hepatitis C treatments due to its ability to mimic amino acid structures in enzyme active sites. Also utilized in the preparation of peptidomimetic compounds for research in medicinal chemistry.