Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of protease inhibitors and other biologically active molecules. Its stereochemistry makes it valuable for constructing structurally defined intermediates in drug discovery. Commonly employed in the preparation of complex organic molecules where control of three-dimensional structure is critical for biological activity. Often utilized in solid-phase and solution-phase peptide synthesis due to the presence of the Boc-protecting group, allowing for selective deprotection and coupling. Also serves as a scaffold in the design of enzyme inhibitors targeting neurological and metabolic disorders.