Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of protease inhibitors and other bioactive molecules. Its Boc-protected amine and carboxylic acid functionality allow for selective coupling in peptide-like structures. The presence of a stereocenter and an aromatic side chain makes it valuable for introducing specific conformational and binding properties in drug design, especially in targeting enzymes where stereochemistry and hydrophobic interactions are critical. Commonly employed in research and development of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) requiring high enantiomeric purity.