Used in pharmaceutical research as a chiral building block for synthesizing bioactive molecules, particularly those targeting neurological and psychiatric disorders. Its structure supports the development of compounds that modulate serotonin pathways due to the indole moiety, which is commonly found in neuroactive drugs. Also employed in the synthesis of peptide-like molecules for studying enzyme activity and receptor binding, especially in the context of amino acid metabolism and transport. Its stereochemistry makes it valuable for creating enantiomerically pure drugs, improving efficacy and reducing side effects.