Used as an intermediate in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) that require specific amino acid derivatives. It plays a role in the development of peptide-based drugs, where its structure helps in building complex molecules with desired biological activity. Additionally, it is utilized in organic synthesis for creating chiral compounds, which are essential in producing enantiomerically pure substances for medicinal chemistry. Its application extends to research and development in biochemistry for studying enzyme interactions and metabolic pathways.