Widely used in pharmaceutical synthesis, this compound serves as a key chiral intermediate in the production of protease inhibitors, particularly in the development of antiviral drugs. Its stereochemistry allows for high selectivity and efficacy in inhibiting specific enzyme targets. It is especially valuable in the synthesis of complex peptides and peptidomimetics due to its ability to stabilize desired conformations and improve metabolic stability. The tert-butyl ester group facilitates protection during multi-step syntheses, enabling clean deprotection under mild acidic conditions. Its application extends to research settings for designing inhibitors with improved bioavailability and binding affinity.