Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the production of β-lactam antibiotics such as ampicillin and other drugs involving phenylglycine moieties, as well as central nervous system agents and anticonvulsant drugs. Its structure, featuring a free amino group and a tert-butyl ester protecting the carboxylic acid, allows for easy incorporation into more complex molecules, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for building chiral amino acid derivatives. Commonly employed in asymmetric synthesis due to the stability of the tert-butyl ester, which can be selectively removed under acidic conditions. Also utilized in the development of peptidomimetics and other bioactive compounds where controlled functionalization of the free amino group is required.