Used as a building block in peptide synthesis, this compound facilitates the incorporation of lysine residues in desired sequences while the methyl ester group acts as a protecting group that can be selectively removed. Its hydrochloride salts enhance stability and solubility in aqueous environments, making it suitable for use in pharmaceutical research and development. Commonly applied in the production of specialty peptides for drug discovery, it also finds use in biochemical studies involving enzyme substrates or inhibitors. Additionally, it serves as an intermediate in synthesizing modified amino acids for use in biotechnology and medicinal chemistry.