Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) requiring piperidine scaffolds. Its carboxylic acid and Cbz-protected amine functionalities allow for sequential coupling reactions, making it valuable in solid-phase and solution-phase peptide-like synthesis. Commonly employed in medicinal chemistry for constructing modulators of central nervous system targets, including analgesics and psychiatric agents. The presence of the 4-methyl group can influence steric and metabolic stability in final drug candidates.