Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the production of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors for type 2 diabetes treatment. Its chiral structure makes it valuable for constructing enantiomerically pure active pharmaceutical ingredients. Commonly employed in peptide chemistry due to the Cbz-protected amine and reactive nitrile group, allowing selective coupling and functionalization. Suitable for solid-phase and solution-phase synthesis in drug development.