Used as a chiral building block in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, particularly in the development of bioactive molecules and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) where stereochemistry plays a critical role. Its functional groups—amine and hydroxyl—allow for selective derivatization, making it valuable in medicinal chemistry for creating enantiomerically pure compounds. Commonly employed in the preparation of enzyme inhibitors and receptor modulators due to its structural similarity to natural amino alcohols. Also utilized in asymmetric synthesis as a precursor for catalysts or ligands in enantioselective transformations.