Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds, particularly in the development of protease inhibitors and other biologically active molecules. Its structure supports peptide-like frameworks, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for designing enzyme inhibitors. Commonly employed in research settings for creating analogs in drug discovery programs, especially those targeting viral infections and metabolic disorders. Also utilized in asymmetric synthesis due to the chiral center, enabling the production of enantiomerically pure compounds.