Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of bioactive molecules requiring stereochemical control. Its amine and ester functional groups allow for versatile chemical modifications, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for creating peptidomimetics and enzyme inhibitors. Commonly employed in the preparation of cyclohexane-based scaffolds found in central nervous system agents and anti-inflammatory compounds. The trans configuration enhances stereoselectivity in reactions, improving the efficiency of asymmetric synthesis routes.