Used in pharmaceutical synthesis as an intermediate for producing drugs that target central nervous system disorders. Commonly employed in the preparation of protease inhibitors and peptide-based therapeutics due to its protected amino and phenolic functional groups. Its tert-butyl ester group allows for selective deprotection under mild acidic conditions, making it valuable in stepwise organic synthesis. Also utilized in the development of enzyme inhibitors where the tyrosine-like structure plays a key role in binding activity.