Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the preparation of muscle relaxants and central nervous system agents. It plays a role in the production of baclofen, a drug used to treat muscle spasticity. Also utilized in the development of peptidomimetic compounds and as a building block in medicinal chemistry for designing bioactive molecules. Its structure allows for incorporation into larger molecules where both amine and carboxylic acid functionalities are needed for further chemical modifications.