Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) that require functionalized piperidine scaffolds. Its hydroxyl and hydroxymethyl groups allow for further chemical modifications, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for creating analogs with enhanced biological activity. Commonly employed in the preparation of central nervous system (CNS) agents, including antidepressants and antipsychotics, due to the piperidine ring’s prevalence in neuroactive compounds. Also utilized in the production of chiral building blocks for asymmetric synthesis, supporting the creation of enantiomerically pure drugs. Its Boc-protected amine group enables selective deprotection and coupling reactions, facilitating stepwise assembly of complex molecules in drug discovery and process chemistry.