Used as an intermediate in pharmaceutical synthesis, particularly in the development of cysteine protease inhibitors. Its protected amine and free thiol group make it valuable for constructing peptidomimetic compounds. The tert-butyl carbamate (Boc) protection allows for selective deprotection under mild acidic conditions, enabling stepwise assembly in solid-phase or solution-phase peptide synthesis. Commonly employed in research targeting enzyme inhibitors for diseases involving abnormal proteolytic activity, such as certain cancers, viral infections, and inflammatory conditions.